Jason Collins Dies At 47: NBA Trailblazer And First Openly Gay Active Player Loses Battle To Brain Cancer
Jason Collins, former NBA veteran who became the first openly gay active athlete in major US professional sports, has died aged 47 after battling glioblastoma.
The NBA has lost one of the league's most important cultural figures, with former centre Jason Collins passing away at 47 following a battle with glioblastoma. Long after his playing career ended, Collins remained respected across basketball circles for changing how professional sport approached LGBTQ+ visibility, acceptance and locker-room culture. His death on May 12 has prompted an emotional wave of tributes from former teammates, league executives and fans who saw his influence stretch far beyond box scores, contracts or roster roles during his 13 NBA seasons. Years before LGBTQ+ athletes were openly embraced across major leagues, Collins stepped into territory few active professionals had dared approach publicly, placing his career, reputation and future opportunities under an unforgiving spotlight.
How Jason Collins Changed NBA History As The League's First Openly Gay Active Player
Before becoming a defining figure in modern NBA news cycles surrounding inclusion and representation, Collins built a lengthy career as a dependable veteran big man. After starring at Stanford University alongside twin brother Jarron Collins, he entered the league in 2001 and went on to play for franchises including the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards across 13 seasons.
Everything around Collins changed in April 2013 when he revealed publicly: "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm Black and I'm gay." At the time, Collins was navigating free agency, making the decision carry enormous professional uncertainty in a league still wrestling with how openly LGBTQ+ athletes would be received inside locker rooms and front offices. Months later, he returned to the Nets and became the first openly gay active athlete to appear in any of America's four major professional sports leagues.
His influence quickly moved beyond basketball headlines. In 2014, TIME Magazine included Collins among its 100 Most Influential People in the World. His announcement also arrived before same-sex marriage became legal nationwide in the United States, adding greater cultural weight to a moment many now view as a turning point in professional sport.
Jason Collins' Glioblastoma Diagnosis Sparks Emotional NBA Reaction
Collins revealed his diagnosis publicly in December 2025. Speaking openly about the tumour's progression, he called it "a monster with tentacles spreading across the underside of my brain the width of a baseball".
According to reports, Collins underwent treatment with Avastin and later travelled to Singapore seeking targeted chemotherapy options as the illness worsened. Glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer, with the Mayo Clinic describing it as the most common malignant brain tumour affecting adults. Even during the final stage of his illness, Collins continued returning to the same message that defined his place in NBA history. Reflecting on the journey that began with his groundbreaking 2013 announcement, he said: "Your life is so much better when you just show up as your true self".
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reportedly said Collins "helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations."
As per a report in NYT, Jason Collins is survived by his husband, film producer Brunson Green, whom he married in May 2025. He is also survived by his parents and his twin brother, Jarron Collins.