Jason Collins celebrated as 'a trailblazer' by out LGBTQ athletes

Collins made history in April 2013 when he came out publicly in a Sports Illustrated essay, becoming the first openly gay active athlete in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues. The 13-year NBA veteran played for six franchises and later became an NBA Cares Ambassador.

Survived by his husband, Brunson Green, his parents, his twin brother Jarron, tributes to Collins poured in from basketball and beyond. See his trailblazing career.

Portrait of forward Jason Collins #35 of the New Jersey Nets during the NBA game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 11, 2001. The Nets defeated the Bulls 107-93.

Jason Collins #35 of the New Jersey Nets fights for a rebound against Zydrunas Ilgauskas #11 and Anderson Varejao #17 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs on May 18, 2007 at the Continental Airlines Arena in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Jason Collins #34 of the Atlanta Hawks against the Orlando Magic during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the 2011 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on April 28, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jason Collins #98 of the Boston Celtics splits the defenders underneath the basket in front of Gerald Henderson #9 of the Charlotte Bobcats during the game on January 14, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

Carlos Boozer #5 of the Chicago Bulls tries to recapture the ball under pressure from Jason Collins #98 (L) and Garrett Temple #17 of the Washington Wizards at the United Center on April 17, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois

Jason Collins #98 of the Washington Wizards rebounds against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on April 17, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Wizards 95-92.

NBA player Jason Collins and former Major League Baseball player Billy Bean throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

Jason Collins attends HBO's Post 2014 Golden Globe Awards Party held at Circa 55 Restaurant on January 12, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.

Jason Collins #98 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrates after making a basket with teammate Alan Anderson #6 during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on February 27, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Collins wore #98 in honor of Matthew Shepard who was killed as part of a hate crime in 1998 near Laramie, Wyoming.

Former NBA player Jason Collins speaks onstage at The Human Rights Campaign 2017 Los Angeles Gala Dinner at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on March 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Former NBA player Jason Collins at The Human Rights Campaign 2017 Los Angeles Gala Dinner at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on March 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Jason Collins (R) of the New Jersey Nets guards Shaquille O'Neal (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers during game two of the NBA Finals on June 7, 2002 at the Stapes Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers won the game 106-83 to lead the best-of-seven game series 2-0.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player, died May 12 after an eight-month battle with stage 4 glioblastoma. He was 47.  

Collins made history in April 2013 when he came out publicly in a Sports Illustrated essay, becoming the first openly gay active athlete in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues. The 13-year NBA veteran played for six franchises and later became an NBA Cares Ambassador.

Survived by his husband, Brunson Green, his parents, his twin brother Jarron, tributes to Collins poured in from basketball and beyond. See his trailblazing career.

1 / 13

Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player, died May 12 after an eight-month battle with stage 4 glioblastoma. He was 47.  

Collins made history in April 2013 when he came out publicly in a Sports Illustrated essay, becoming the first openly gay active athlete in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues. The 13-year NBA veteran played for six franchises and later became an NBA Cares Ambassador.

Survived by his husband, Brunson Green, his parents, his twin brother Jarron, tributes to Collins poured in from basketball and beyond. See his trailblazing career.

2 / 13

Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Portrait of forward Jason Collins #35 of the New Jersey Nets during the NBA game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 11, 2001. The Nets defeated the Bulls 107-93.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins #35 of the New Jersey Nets fights for a rebound against Zydrunas Ilgauskas #11 and Anderson Varejao #17 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs on May 18, 2007 at the Continental Airlines Arena in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins #34 of the Atlanta Hawks against the Orlando Magic during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the 2011 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on April 28, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins #98 of the Boston Celtics splits the defenders underneath the basket in front of Gerald Henderson #9 of the Charlotte Bobcats during the game on January 14, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Carlos Boozer #5 of the Chicago Bulls tries to recapture the ball under pressure from Jason Collins #98 (L) and Garrett Temple #17 of the Washington Wizards at the United Center on April 17, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins #98 of the Washington Wizards rebounds against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on April 17, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Wizards 95-92.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

NBA player Jason Collins and former Major League Baseball player Billy Bean throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins attends HBO's Post 2014 Golden Globe Awards Party held at Circa 55 Restaurant on January 12, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins #98 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrates after making a basket with teammate Alan Anderson #6 during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on February 27, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Collins wore #98 in honor of Matthew Shepard who was killed as part of a hate crime in 1998 near Laramie, Wyoming.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Former NBA player Jason Collins speaks onstage at The Human Rights Campaign 2017 Los Angeles Gala Dinner at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on March 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Former NBA player Jason Collins at The Human Rights Campaign 2017 Los Angeles Gala Dinner at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on March 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

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Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, dies at 47. See his trailblazing career.

Jason Collins (R) of the New Jersey Nets guards Shaquille O'Neal (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers during game two of the NBA Finals on June 7, 2002 at the Stapes Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers won the game 106-83 to lead the best-of-seven game series 2-0.

“Every player that comes out here afterwards, whether it’s professionally or just in their own lives, stand on the shoulders of Jason Collins, as I do myself,” said former NFL player R.K. Russell, who came out publicly as bisexual in 2019.

“Jason was a trailblazer,” said soccer player Collin Martin, who came out as gay while playing for MLS club Minnesota United in 2018. “Without him, I don’t know if the rest of us that came out after him, if it would have been as easy.”

Jason Collins 'changed the minds of players' in coming out

Collins’ courageous decision to come out in a Sports Illustrated essay in April 2013 paved the way for more queer athletes in men’s sports to do the same: Martin, Russell, NFL players Carl Nassib and Ryan O’Callaghan, hockey player Luke Prokop, NCAA basketball player Derrick Gordon, and minor league baseball players Solomon Bates and Anderson Comas.

When Collins was considering coming out, Amaechi was one of the people he reached out to for advice and support. Amaechi was an NBA teammate of Jason’s twin brother, Jarron Collins, and had come out in his post-retirement memoir. They kept in touch over the years, and Amaechi received email updates on Collins’ health as he sought treatment for stage 4 glioblastoma.

Amaechi remembers Collins as eloquent and smart, someone who understood how his personal revelation could foster inclusion in sports and beyond.

“His presence, his tone, his dignity, his warmth, his humor, changed the minds of players, too – and not just the players who played with him,” Amaechi said. “Other players who might otherwise not have advanced their thinking, evolved their understanding. So he did an amazing gift for the league as well as for all those players out there who were looking for a better role model. And they couldn’t have picked a better one, right?”

Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins during game action against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center.

Martin and Russell describe the community of publicly out male professional athletes as a small, tight-knit fraternity. Collins acted as the connective tissue.

Right before Russell came out, he reached out to Collins to ask about his experience coming out as a professional athlete and a Black man. Watching Collins navigate the publicity with such ease and grace inspired Russell, who was playing college football at Purdue when Collins came out.

“Having that friendship, because that’s what it became, was just so vital in my decision to live my life truly and authentically,” Russell said, “but also in trying to shape sports culture for the better and for all of us, which is something that he dedicated his life to.”

In 2020, Martin’s San Diego Loyal FC team walked off the field and forfeited a game in protest after an opposing player called Martin a homophobic slur. After the incident, Collins reached out to Martin online to make sure he was OK.

“That just speaks to the person that Jason was, always lifting others up and considering how other people are doing in moments of pain like the one I was in,” Martin said. “He made a huge effort in connecting people, having conversations, supporting athletes at different times in their careers. I can’t commend him enough for how he took the time to reach out and think beyond himself.”

Jason Collins' in-career announcement showed a path for others to follow

Former professional athletes who came out publicly after they retired include Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Billy Bean and NFL player Wade Davis. Los Angeles Galaxy player Robbie Rogers came out after he retired but then returned to play for the Galaxy a few months later. The fact that Collins announced his sexuality during his playing career was an important distinction, Gordon said.

In April 2014, Gordon became the first openly gay Division I men’s college basketball player when he came out following his sophomore season at UMass. Two months earlier, Gordon had watched a video of Collins checking into a game for the Brooklyn Nets – Collins’ first game since he publicly came out.

“When he checked into the game for the Brooklyn Nets, everybody in the arena stood up and started clapping,” Gordon said. “And when I saw that, I was like, ‘I want that to be me.’”

Gordon and Collins met later through the You Can Play Project, which promotes LGBTQ inclusion in sports. At the time, Gordon had not come out yet but he confided in Collins that he was being verbally harassed by teammates who had found out he was gay.

“It got to a point it was either I quit basketball or I come out publicly, and Jason was just very adamant on, ‘Don’t let them win,’” Gordon said. “Jason was one of the main reasons why I decided to come out. … If I could do it all over again, I would, because just knowing that I don’t have to hide is amazing.”

Derrick Gordon, No. 32 of the Seton Hall Pirates, celebrates after hitting a basket against the Villanova Wildcats during the Big East Basketball Tournament Championship at Madison Square Garden on March 12, 2016 in New York City.

Amaechi, who is British, played professional basketball for eight seasons, including five seasons in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz. He recalled the cognitive dissonance of knowing that his teammates loved him as a teammate while hearing them say awful things about gay people.

Six years passed between when Amaechi publicly came out and when Collins did. But Collins still faced backlash.

“I think it’s a mistake to imagine that Jason walked into an easier time,” Amaechi said. “He had threats from people. He had people who wished to do him harm just for speaking up and being a dignified spokesperson.”

'That's my big brother.' Jason Collins 'a lesson in authenticity'

Beyond breaking barriers, Collins was known for being a gentle giant whose beaming smile lit up every room he walked into. At 7 feet tall, he cut an imposing figure, but he could make anyone feel welcome and special.

“That’s my big brother, someone who I could literally call any given day in a week and he’d pick up,” Gordon said. “Yes, he helped me come out, but when you lose your brother it’s much more than sports. He had such an impact on my life in general as a whole.”

“It’s the damnation of being a wonderful human being is that when you die, the people closest to you are more wounded than if you’ve just been OK, average,” Amaechi said. “And he was certainly not that.”

Those who have walked the same path as Collins say it is undeniable that he left a legacy of love that will persist for generations.

“He made sport more inclusive, which is no small feat,” Martin said. “He showed that it doesn’t matter what your sexuality is, you can be an important member of a team, of an organization, an important person in a sport.”

In the 13 years since Collins came out, the NBA has not had another openly gay player. It’s a reminder that there is still progress to be made.

That starts with changing toxic language and behavior in men’s sports at the high school and college levels, Russell said, which will increase the chances that gay athletes stay in sports long enough to make it to the pros. Russell said he would love for the NBA, one of the more progressive leagues, to create an initiative in Collins’ name. He also encourages men’s sports leagues to emulate women’s sports leagues, which often are more inclusive.

“Jason Collins is always a lesson in authenticity, in sports and beyond,” Russell said. “And if anything, this shows how fragile life is and how short it is, and we cannot spend our unknown and very precious moments, years, months, weeks, days, not being our true selves. So I definitely see the progress. I definitely want more and I know Jason wants more, and we keep fighting and striving for more.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jason Collins death: NBA player inspired gay athletes' authenticity