Jason Collins, first openly gay NBA player, dies at 47 after glioblastoma battle

Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in NBA history, has died at 47 following a battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma. The diagnosis was announced publicly in December 2025, when Collins revealed in an ESPN essay that the aggressive brain tumor had spread across both hemispheres in a butterfly pattern. Standard chemotherapy failed, and he sought experimental treatment in Singapore. Collins married his husband, film producer Brunson Green, in May 2025, just months before his symptoms emerged. Collins came out as gay in April 2013 in a *Sports Illustrated* cover story, becoming the first active athlete in North America’s major sports leagues to do so. His career included 13 NBA seasons across six teams: New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards. Though his best statistical season was 2004-05 with averages of 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds, his most historic moment came on February 23, 2014, when he became the first openly gay athlete to play in a major professional sports game, donning No. 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard. Drafted 18th overall by the Houston Rockets in 2001, Collins’ rights were traded to the New Jersey Nets before his rookie season. Over 735 career games, he averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds. After retiring in 2014, he worked as an NBA Cares Ambassador, advocating for inclusivity. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called Collins a leader who ‘changed lives’ and made the league more welcoming for future generations. His family released a statement calling him a ‘beloved husband, son, brother, and uncle’ whose ‘kindness and humanity’ defined his life. The NBA expressed condolences to Collins’ husband, Brunson, and his family, emphasizing his enduring legacy as a trailblazer. Collins’ final public essay urged others to ‘show up as your true self,’ reflecting his lifelong commitment to authenticity and acceptance.