Jason Collins, first openly gay NBA player, dies from cancer at 47
Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay participant who served as a world ambassador for the game for the previous decade, has died from mind cancer, his household mentioned Tuesday. He was 47.
Collins advised ESPN in November that he’d been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastomaone of many deadliest types of mind cancer. I’ve traveled to Singapore this previous winter to obtain experimental remedies not but approved within the United States. Those remedies had been efficient sufficient for him to return house, attend NBA All-Star Weekend occasions in Los Angeles and a recreation at his alma mater, Stanford.
But the cancer returned just lately, and Collins died peacefully at his house, surrounded by his household.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a brave fight with glioblastoma,” his household mentioned in an announcement launched by the NBA. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
Collins retired in 2014 after a 13-year profession that included stops with the New Jersey Nets, Memphis, Minnesota, atlanta, Boston, Washington and again to the Nets after they moved to Brooklyn. I’ve announced he was gay in 2013 Sports Illustrated cover storyturning into the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the 4 important North American sports activities leagues.
“When I chose to come out, there was no scandal or anything,” Collins advised ESPN in November. “This was like, I feel that I am good enough to play in the NBA and by the way, I’m gay. Just so everyone knows cards on the table, this is where I am.
“Thankfully the Nets had been the one staff that gave me a tryout.”
Collins played 22 games for the Nets that season, alongside teammates Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson. The head coach of that team was Jason Kidd, whom Collins had played with as teammates on the New Jersey Nets team that made the NBA Finals in 2002-03.
“When I did come out publicly, it was fascinating, it was very uncommon, however I received back-to-back calls from Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama,” Collins said in that November interview with ESPN. “President Obama mentioned ‘Congratulations — what you have accomplished right now could have a optimistic affect on somebody you won’t ever meet in your lifetime.’
“I think that’s a really cool thing and I want to do that again as far as having an opportunity to help someone that I might not ever meet in my lifetime.”
In an announcement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned Collins’ “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations. He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador.
“Jason might be remembered not just for breaking boundaries, but in addition for the kindness and humanity that outlined his life and touched so many others.”
Collins said doctors told him when he was first diagnosed that he’d have between six weeks and three months if he did nothing to treat him particularly aggressive type of brain tumor.
“I began researching glioblastoma and all of my choices. I needed to know all the pieces about what I used to be dealing with,” Collins wrote in a first person story published by ESPN in December.
“As an athlete you study to not panic in moments like this. These are the playing cards I’ve been handled. To me it is like, ‘Shut up and go play towards Shaq.’ Do you need the problem? This is the problem. And there is no such thing as a larger problem in basketball than going up towards prime Shaquille O’Neal, and I’ve accomplished that.”
Collins chose a treatment plan that he felt would give him the best quality of life, while also giving him a chance to extend his life beyond the initial prognosis.
Collins was able to complete the initial parts of his treatment plan but the cancer returned too quickly for him to complete all of it. He is survived by his husband, Brunson Green, parents Portia and Paul Collins, and brother, Jarron Collins, who was most recently an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans.
