Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player, dies from brain cancer at age 47
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Collins died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family.
Jason Collins, who served as a global ambassador for basketball after coming out as the NBA’s first openly gay player, died Tuesday from an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 47.
First diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma in 2025, Collins traveled to China for experimental treatments not yet authorized in the United States. The treatments allowed him to return to the states to participate in events surrounding NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles in February, as well as events at his alma mater, Stanford.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” his family said in a statement. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
Collins played 13 years in the NBA with six different teams. He made waves with a 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story announcing that he was gay, becoming the first active gay player in the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB. His story drew its fair share of ridicule from critics, even though he earned praise from the Obamas and his teammates.
“When I did come out publicly, it was interesting, it was very rare, but I got back-to-back calls from Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama,” Collins said in a November 2013 interview with ESPN. “President Obama said ‘Congratulations — what you’ve done today will have a positive impact on someone you might not ever meet in your lifetime.’
“I think that’s a really cool thing and I want to do that again as far as having an opportunity to help someone that I might not ever meet in my lifetime.”
Originally given six weeks to three months to live, Collins opted for a treatment plan that would give him the best quality of life as well as extend his life beyond the initial diagnosis. Despite responding well to initial treatments, the cancer returned too quickly for him to continue.
He is survived by his husband, Brunson Green, his parents, Portia and Paul Collins and his twin brother, Jarron.