Jason Collins, the NBA’s first active openly gay player, has died at the age of 47 just six months after announcing he had brain cancer.
Collins said in December that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 gliobastoma, a form of brain cancer.
The Northridge native attended Harvard-Westlake School before playing at Stanford University. Throughout his NBA career, Collins played for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and more.
More than 10 year after beginning his professional career, Collins public came out as gay. The following year, his former New Jersey Nets teammate, Jason Kidd, who was then the coach of the Brooklyn Nets, helped convince the team to sign Collins. In February 2014, Collins took the court in a game against the Lakers
at Staples Center, becoming the first active openly gay NBA player — and the first such player in any of the nation’s four major sports leagues.
He retired after the 2014 season.
“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 when announcing his death. “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.”
He retired after the 2014 season.
“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. “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.”
City News Service contributed to this report.