Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in the NBA, died following a \u201cvaliant\u201d battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma, his family announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Collins was 47.<\/p>\n
The ex-Nets player and 13-year NBA veteran had revealed his diagnosis in December in a piece published by ESPN. Stage 4 glioblastoma is one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer.<\/p>\n
Collins died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family, ESPN reported.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,\u201d a statement from Collins\u2019 family said. \u201cJason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.<\/p>\n
Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets works out during practice April 18, 2014. JEFF ZELEVANSKY<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Collins had gone to Singapore over the winter to undergo an experimental treatment, which had been successful enough to allow him to return to the United States, appear at NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles and attend a game at Stanford, where he had played college basketball.<\/p>\n
Nets Richard Jefferson, Jason Kidd and Jason Collins on the bench during a 2006 game. JEFF ZELEVANSKY<\/p>\n
Jason Collins announces his retirement in 2014 \u2014 a year after becoming the first openly gay athlete. Anthony J. Causi \/ New York Post<\/p>\n
The California native played in the NBA for more than a decade before he retired in 2014, playing two stints with the Nets \u2014 one while they were still in New Jersey and one in Brooklyn \u2014 along with stops with the Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics and Wizards.<\/p>\n
Collins became a national news story in 2013 when he announced that he was gay in a cover story for Sports Illustrated. In the opening, Collins firmly declared: \u201cI\u2019m a 34-year-old NBA center. I\u2019m black. And I\u2019m gay.\u201d<\/p>\n
The announcement made Collins the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major men\u2019s professional sports leagues in North America.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport,\u201d he said in the story. \u201cBut since I am, I\u2019m happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn\u2019t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, \u2018I\u2019m different.\u2019 If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I\u2019m raising my hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason Collins after he was introduced following the 2001 NBA Draft. New York Post<\/p>\n
Collins returned to the Nets in February 2014 when he signed a 10-day contract with the now-Brooklyn-based franchise. He played 22 games for the Nets that season and was coached by Jason Kidd, who played with Collins during his first run with the organization when it was in New Jersey. He retired from the NBA in 2014 and became an ambassador for the league.<\/p>\n
The Nets said they were \u201cheartbroken\u201d over Collins\u2019 passing.<\/p>\n