Portrait
Jason Collins
Born
2 December 1978Los Angeles, USA
Died
12 May 2026Los Angeles, USA · aged 47
Basketball playerUnited States

Jason Collins

An NBA player whose decision to come out made a private truth a public milestone in men’s sport.

Jason Collins was born in Los Angeles in 1978. He and his twin brother Jarron played basketball at Stanford before entering the NBA. Jason began his professional career in 2001 and spent thirteen seasons in the league, reaching two NBA Finals with the New Jersey Nets.

In April 2013 he came out in a first-person “Sports Illustrated” article: “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” The announcement came while he was still pursuing his playing career, making him the first openly gay active player in one of North America’s four major men’s professional leagues.

In February 2014 he signed with the Brooklyn Nets and returned to the court. His number 98 honoured Matthew Shepard, murdered in 1998. Collins retired later that year and became an NBA Cares ambassador, using his experience to support greater inclusion in sport.

He died of brain cancer in Los Angeles in May 2026, aged 47. The league’s tributes recognised a career whose significance extended beyond games and statistics to the possibilities it opened for other players.

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