Jason Collins, a longtime NBA veteran and the league’s first openly gay player, died Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer.
He was 47 years old.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother, and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” his family said in a statement through 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’ NBA journey began in 2001, when he was selected in the first round by the Houston Rockets. But that was just the start. Before his career came to an end in 2014, he would play for six NBA teams, with his longest stints coming in New Jersey/Brooklyn and Atlanta.
In 2013, the Stanford product and California native made national headlines when he announced that he was gay, becoming the first athlete in a major North American sports league to publicly come out as gay.
While he was a free agent at the time of his announcement, the Brooklyn Nets signed him to a 10-day contract, and he ended up playing about 25 percent of that season with Brooklyn before retiring.
“Jason 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,” NBA commissioner Adam 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.”
Collins revealed his diagnosis of Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Doctors ruled the tumor inoperable, which gave Collins a life expectancy of 11-14 months. Still, despite the grim prognosis, the former Net remained determined to battle the disease with the time he had left. Even holding out hope that the new and innovative treatment plans he was pursuing could one day provide hope for others suffering from the disease.
“After I came out, someone I really respect told me that my choice to live openly could help someone who I might never meet,” Collins said, likening his coming out to battling cancer. “I’ve held onto that for years. And if I can do that again now, then that matters.”