![\"Jason](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2722383-e1778634608859.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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Jason Kidd and Jason Collins defend together during their time with the New Jersey Nets, where they reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.<\/p>\n
Former Brooklyn Nets<\/a> head coach Jason Kidd paid an emotional tribute to Jason Collins following the former NBA center\u2019s death<\/a> at 47, reflecting on a relationship that spanned more than a decade as both teammates and coach-player.<\/p>\n \u201cThis one hurts,\u201d Kidd wrote<\/a> on X. \u201cJason Collins was a pioneer. He had courage like you\u2019ve never seen. He was an incredible teammate. And having him in Brooklyn at the start of my coaching journey meant so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd\u2019s message resonated across the NBA<\/a>, capturing both the personal and historical significance of Collins\u2019 life and career.<\/p>\n Jason Kidd, Jason Collins Shared New Jersey Nets Finals Run<\/p>\n Kidd and Collins were teammates on the New Jersey Nets for seven seasons from 2001 to 2008, helping lead the franchise to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.<\/p>\n During that stretch, Collins served as a physical, defense-first center, while Kidd anchored the offense as one of the league\u2019s premier point guards. Their long tenure together built a strong bond that extended beyond the court.<\/p>\n Collins spent the majority of his NBA career with the Nets franchise, appearing in 532 games across his New Jersey and Brooklyn stints. He averaged 4.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists, playing a key defensive role during one of the most successful stretches in team history.<\/p>\n Jason Kidd Supported Collins\u2019 Historic 2013 Announcement GettyJason Collins addresses reporters while with the Brooklyn Nets after becoming the first openly gay active NBA player in 2013.<\/p>\n Kidd was also among the first NBA figures to publicly support Collins when he made history in 2013.<\/p>\n In a Sports Illustrated cover story, Collins became the first openly gay active player in a major American team sport, a groundbreaking moment for the league and professional sports.<\/p>\n Shortly after the announcement, Kidd voiced his support on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cJason\u2019s sexuality doesn\u2019t change the fact that he is a great friend and was a great teammate,\u201d Kidd wrote<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n Collins\u2019 decision was met with widespread support across the NBA, including from players, coaches and league officials, helping reshape conversations around inclusion in sports.<\/p>\n Brooklyn Nets Reunion Marked Key Moment in Kidd\u2019s Coaching Career<\/p>\n Later that same season, Collins reunited with Kidd in Brooklyn, where Kidd was serving as head coach in his first year.<\/p>\n Collins appeared in 22 games for the Nets during the 2013-14 season, providing veteran leadership and defensive depth for a team that advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd having him in Brooklyn at the start of my coaching journey meant so much,\u201d Kidd added in his tribute.<\/p>\n NBA Community Remembers Jason Collins\u2019 Legacy<\/p>\n Kidd\u2019s message also underscored the personal impact Collins had on those around him.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who knew him were blessed to call him a friend,\u201d Kidd wrote. \u201cYou are already missed my brother. Rest in power.\u201d<\/p>\n This one hurts. Jason Collins was a pioneer. He had courage like you\u2019ve never seen. He was an incredible teammate. And having him in Brooklyn at the start of my coaching journey meant so much. Those who knew him were blessed to call him a friend. You are already missed my <\/p>\n While Collins\u2019 statistical production was modest, he was widely respected as a dependable teammate and locker-room presence.<\/p>\n His legacy extended far beyond the court. By publicly coming out in 2013, Collins became a trailblazer whose courage helped pave the way for greater acceptance and inclusion in the NBA.<\/p>\n Nets, NBA Mourn Loss of Respected Veteran<\/p>\n Collins\u2019 death has prompted tributes from across the league, with former teammates, coaches and executives honoring both his career and his character.<\/p>\n For the Nets, Collins represents a bridge between eras \u2014 from the New Jersey teams that reached the Finals to the Brooklyn squad that embraced a historic cultural moment.<\/p>\n For Kidd, the loss is deeply personal \u2014 a reminder of a teammate and friend whose influence continues to resonate across the NBA.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAlder Almo<\/a> is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Jason Kidd and Jason Collins defend together during their time with the New Jersey Nets, where they…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":229688,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[98,100,99,9,24,63],"class_list":["post-229687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn-headlines","tag-brooklyn-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=229687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/229688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=229687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=229687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=229687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Jason](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-475421515-e1778625614426.jpg\")
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