Charles Barkley pays tribute to Jason Collins, says we still live in ‘homophobic society’

Credit: Inside the NBA, imagn images Before Wednesday night’s Eastern Conference semifinal matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, the Inside the NBA crew paid tribute to two players that passed earlier this week in current Memphis Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke and former New Jersey Nets star Jason Collins. Clarke died at just 29 years old in Los Angeles, it is being investigated as a possible drug overdose according to NBC Los Angeles . Collins died at just 47 years old after a years-long battle with brain cancer.

As the program discussed the two basketball players, much of the focus was on the history that Jason Collins made when he was the first active player to come out as openly gay in the four major professional sports leagues. In discussing the legacy of Jason Collins, Charles Barkley spoke out to discuss how important his public statement was and its lasting impact on sports and society. But he also addressed how much further society still has to go when he talked about the homophobia that still exists over a decade after Collins came out.

The full Inside the NBA segment discussing the passing of Brandon Clarke and Jason Collins, and Collins’ legacy as the first active openly gay player in the four major sports leagues. pic. twitter.

com/ZfwLcu15ty — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 14, 2026 “ Courageous and when he came out, man, I thought it was amazing to put himself under the microscope and the scrutiny and the hatred and the vitriol that was going to happen. But man, I hate the way this story ended because he was a shining example. Do you man.