NBA Trailblazer Jason Collins Is Being Treated For A Brain Tumour
Jason Collins, the first publicly gay athlete to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), is undergoing treatment for a brain tumour.
The league released a statement this week confirming the news. “Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason’s health and well-being,” the announcement read.
A legacy beyond the basketball court.
In April 2013, Collins came out in Sports Illustrated, becoming the first active male athlete in one of North America’s major men’s professional leagues to do so publicly. “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation,” he wrote. The piece marked a cultural shift that reached well beyond basketball.
“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport,” Collins wrote at the time. “But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.”
From the court to a new chapter…
Drafted in 2001, Collins played for six teams, including eight seasons with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, before retiring in 2014. Since then, the 46-year-old has worked as an ambassador for the NBA.
Earlier this year, he married his long-term partner, Brunson Green.
The family has not disclosed medical details beyond confirming that treatment is underway. For now, messages of support are coming from across sport and entertainment, and the league has echoed the family’s request for privacy.
His original Sports Illustrated essay remains the clearest window into his decision to speak openly. It is short, brave and still resonant.
