Jason Collins, the NBA center who shattered barriers when he became the first openly gay player in league history, has died after an eight-month fight with stage 4 glioblastoma. He was 47.
Remembering Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player who inspired many during his fight with glioblastoma.
Collins passed away peacefully at his Florida home Tuesday, surrounded by family, according to an announcement from his twin brother Jarron and sister-in-law Elsa Marie Collins posted on Instagram. They remembered him as “a beloved husband, son, brother, uncle” who “changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him.”
A Historic Coming Out
Collins made headlines on April 29, 2013, when he publicly revealed he was gay in a Sports Illustrated essay late in his playing career. “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m Black and I’m gay,” he wrote, becoming the first active player in any of the four major American men’s professional sports leagues to come out.
During his 13-year NBA career from 2001 to 2014, the 7-foot center played for the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Memphis Grizzlies. He was selected to the 2003 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve, recognized for his defensive abilities.
Fighting the Disease
Collins’ family announced his cancer diagnosis in September 2025. By December, he opened up about it in an ESPN essay, describing the tumor as “a monster with tentacles across the width of my brain, the width of a baseball.”
Doctors initially gave him three months to live without treatment. Collins pursued aggressive therapy including radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, and even traveled to Singapore for specialized care with the drug Avastin. Ultimately, the cancer returned.
“A pioneer for inclusion and an ambassador for the league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement mourning Collins’ death.
Collins is survived by his husband, his parents, and his brother Jarron, who recently worked as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans.
