"Those who were around Jason every day knew him not just as a competitor, but as a genuinely kind, thoughtful person who brought people together. His impact extended far beyond the court."
"He fit right in. He competed, he worked, and he made everyone around him better by how he approached the game every day."
"He came in and did his job. No noise, no distractions - just a teammate who showed up ready every day."
"I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay. The announcement made him the first openly gay athlete in one of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues while still active."
Jason Collins, a Brooklyn Nets center and the NBA’s first openly gay player, died at age 47 after a battle with glioblastoma. His family said he died Tuesday following treatment for brain cancer. The Nets confirmed his death and credited him with bringing people together through kindness and thoughtfulness. Collins returned late in his 13-year NBA career, playing briefly for Brooklyn in the 2013-14 season. He appeared in 22 games alongside veterans including Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez under coach Jason Kidd. Collins gained international attention in 2013 when he publicly announced he was gay while still an active player, writing, “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”
Read at Brooklyn, NY Patch
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