JASON COLLINS, FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NBA PLAYER, DIES AGED 47

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By: Balogun Ibrahim

Former NBA player Jason Collins has died at the age of 47 following a battle with brain cancer, his family has confirmed.

Collins passed away after what his family described as a “valiant fight” with glioblastoma, an aggressive and inoperable form of brain cancer.

According to BBC on Wednesday, the news was shared through the National Basketball Association.

He was diagnosed in 2025 after experiencing difficulties with concentration, with doctors later identifying a fast-growing brain tumour. Collins previously described the illness as “a monster with tentacles spreading across the underside of my brain.”

At the time, he underwent treatment aimed at slowing the disease, including targeted chemotherapy and medication such as Avastin, along with specialist care abroad.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver paid tribute to Collins, saying his impact reached far beyond basketball.

“Jason Collins’s 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,” Silver said.

He added that Collins would be remembered for both his trailblazing role and his kindness.

Collins made history in 2013 when he became the first active male athlete in a major U.S. professional team sport to publicly come out as gay. His announcement in Sports Illustrated marked a significant moment for LGBTQ visibility in sports.

At the time, he was a free agent, and his career future was uncertain, but he later returned to the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets, the team where he began his professional journey.

Over a 13-season career, Collins played for several teams including the New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics, earning a reputation as a reliable defensive center and respected teammate.

The Nets said they were “heartbroken” by his passing, praising both his character and contributions on and off the court.

After retiring in 2014, Collins was named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and continued advocacy work for inclusion in sport, including speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention alongside his twin brother, Jarron Collins.

He is being remembered as a pioneering athlete whose courage helped reshape attitudes toward LGBTQ players in professional sports.