Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies of brain cancer at 47

Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, has died of brain cancer at 47, his family announced Tuesday. Collins, a 7-foot center who played for six different teams across 13 seasons, disclosed his diagnosis of stage 4 glioblastoma in December.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” Collins’ family said in a statement. “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.”

In an open letter published by ESPN in December, Collins shared that he had difficulty focusing, was struggling to complete simple tasks due to brain fog, and that his short-term memory was declining. That led him to undergo a CT scan at UCLA, which uncovered the brain tumor.

Glioblastoma is a common form of brain cancer that spreads aggressively and quickly. Collins had been undergoing radiation to slow the growth of the tumor, as well as chemotherapy in Singapore at a facility that specializes in fighting the specific type of tumor he had. The treatment in Singapore helped to the extent that Collins was able to return home and attend NBA All-Star Weekend back in February. However, the cancer returned recentlyand he died at his home surrounded by his family.

Collins became a trailblazer in sports when he came out in 2013. He announced in a Sports Illustrated essay that he was gay, making him not just the first active openly gay player in NBA history, but the first across all four major North American sports leagues. Collins, the No. 18 overall pick out of Stanford in 2001, retired in 2014 after stints playing for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and then a second stop with the Nets (who by then had moved to Brooklyn) after his announcement.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’ “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball.”

“He helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” Silver said in a statement. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others. On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”