Jason Collins, first openly gay NBA player, dies at 47
Jason Collins, the NBA 's first openly gay player and a pioneer for inclusion, has died at 47. His family announced Tuesday that Collins succumbed to an aggressive brain tumor after an eight-month battle. He had been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma , a condition with an extremely low survival rate.
Collins played 13 seasons for six different NBA franchises. He made history in 2013 by publicly revealing he was gay, an announcement made near the end of his playing career. Collins played 13 seasons for six different NBA franchises (Getty Images) “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar," Collins' family said in a statement released through the NBA.
"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. ” Just last week, Collins received the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit.
He was too ill to attend and his twin brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins, accepted for him. “I told my brother this before I came here: He’s the bravest, strongest man I’ve ever known,” Jarron Collins said while accepting that award. Jason Collins averaged 3.
6 points and 3. 7 rebounds in his career. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach two NBA Finals and in his best season averaged 6.