Former NBA Player Jason Collins, First Openly Gay Athlete in Major U.S. Professional Sports, Dies at 47 from Brain Cancer
Former NBA player Jason Collins, the first openly gay male athlete in a major U.S. professional sports league, passed away at the age of 47 due to brain cancer. His courageous act influenced many and contributed to the NBA's promotion of diversity.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 10:22
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NEW YORK (CNA) – Former NBA player Jason Collins, the first openly gay male athlete in a major U.S. professional sports league, who began his fight against cancer last year after being diagnosed with brain cancer, passed away at the age of 47, his family announced in a statement today.
According to AFP and Reuters, Collins was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year, and in December of the same year, he revealed that he had glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer, which had progressed to stage 4.
Collins' family today released a statement through the NBA: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, son, brother, and uncle, Jason Collins, after a valiant battle with glioblastoma.”
The statement read: “Jason changed the lives of many in unexpected ways, inspiring not only all who knew him but also those who admired him from afar. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months, and for the outstanding medical care provided by Jason’s physicians and nurses. He will be deeply missed by his family forever.”
After retiring from his playing career, Collins also served as an ambassador for “NBA Cares,” the NBA’s social responsibility department.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated: “Jason Collins' impact extended far beyond the basketball court, as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and the entire sports community more inclusive for future generations.”
Collins, a center approximately 213 cm tall, attended Stanford University. He was selected 18th overall in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, but was traded to the New Jersey Nets on draft night.
During his 13-year NBA career, Collins played his first eight years with the New Jersey Nets, then had brief stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards.
After the 2012-2013 season, Collins wrote a first-person essay for Sports Illustrated, publicly coming out as gay, earning widespread praise and encouragement from the public and NBA stars like Kobe Bryant. However, after Collins' contract expired and he became a free agent, he initially went unsigned by any team.
It wasn't until February 2014 that Collins officially became the first openly gay male player in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues when the now-renamed Brooklyn Nets offered him a 10-day contract. His former New Jersey Nets teammate Jason Kidd was the head coach at the time.
Collins soon signed another 10-day contract with the Nets and subsequently received a contract for the remainder of that season. He retired after playing 22 games for Brooklyn that season.
Collins played for a total of six teams in his career, appearing in 735 games, with 477 starts. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. His best season was in 2004-2005 with the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged a career-high 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 80 starts.
In an interview with ESPN last November, Collins recalled: “It was interesting when I came out publicly. It was very rare, but I received calls from Oprah Winfrey and then-President Barack Obama. President Obama said, ‘Congratulations, what you did today will have a positive impact on someone you may never meet in your lifetime.’” (Translated by: Chang Ming-hsuan) 1150513
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According to AFP and Reuters, Collins was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year, and in December of the same year, he revealed that he had glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer, which had progressed to stage 4.
Collins' family today released a statement through the NBA: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, son, brother, and uncle, Jason Collins, after a valiant battle with glioblastoma.”
The statement read: “Jason changed the lives of many in unexpected ways, inspiring not only all who knew him but also those who admired him from afar. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months, and for the outstanding medical care provided by Jason’s physicians and nurses. He will be deeply missed by his family forever.”
After retiring from his playing career, Collins also served as an ambassador for “NBA Cares,” the NBA’s social responsibility department.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated: “Jason Collins' impact extended far beyond the basketball court, as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and the entire sports community more inclusive for future generations.”
Collins, a center approximately 213 cm tall, attended Stanford University. He was selected 18th overall in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, but was traded to the New Jersey Nets on draft night.
During his 13-year NBA career, Collins played his first eight years with the New Jersey Nets, then had brief stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards.
After the 2012-2013 season, Collins wrote a first-person essay for Sports Illustrated, publicly coming out as gay, earning widespread praise and encouragement from the public and NBA stars like Kobe Bryant. However, after Collins' contract expired and he became a free agent, he initially went unsigned by any team.
It wasn't until February 2014 that Collins officially became the first openly gay male player in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues when the now-renamed Brooklyn Nets offered him a 10-day contract. His former New Jersey Nets teammate Jason Kidd was the head coach at the time.
Collins soon signed another 10-day contract with the Nets and subsequently received a contract for the remainder of that season. He retired after playing 22 games for Brooklyn that season.
Collins played for a total of six teams in his career, appearing in 735 games, with 477 starts. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. His best season was in 2004-2005 with the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged a career-high 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 80 starts.
In an interview with ESPN last November, Collins recalled: “It was interesting when I came out publicly. It was very rare, but I received calls from Oprah Winfrey and then-President Barack Obama. President Obama said, ‘Congratulations, what you did today will have a positive impact on someone you may never meet in your lifetime.’” (Translated by: Chang Ming-hsuan) 1150513
Stand with the truth, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA 'First-hand News' APP to instantly grasp the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.