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Former NBA star Jason Collins has died following a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” Collins’ family told the NBA in a Tuesday, May 12, statement, confirming the former athlete’s death.
Collins — the first openly gay player in the NBA — will be remembered for not only his athleticism on the court but the legacy he solidified beyond the sport.
“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ loved ones said in their statement. “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.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued his own statement on Tuesday, praising Collins, a former NBC Cares Ambassador, for all he accomplished in his life.
“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” Silver wrote. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador.”
The commissioner added, “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
Silver concluded, “On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
Collins was a professional basketball player for 13 years, playing for the New Jersey Newts, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.
One year before his retirement in 2014, Collins publicly came out as gay in a 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story. With his announcement, Collins became the first publicly gay athlete to play not only in the NBA, but to participate in any of the four main sports leagues in North America, according to ESPN.
“When I chose to come out, there was no scandal or anything,” Collins wrote in a December 2025 essay for ESPN. “This was like, I feel that I am good enough to play in the NBA and by the way, I’m gay. Just so everyone knows cards on the table, this is where I am.
The athlete recalled getting calls from some of the most famous people in the world after his cover story, including President Barack Obama.
“President Obama said, ‘Congratulations, what you’ve done today will have a positive impact on someone you might not ever meet in your lifetime,’” Collins explained at the time. “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.”
Outside of his NBA career and openness about his sexuality, Collins made headlines again in September 2025 when he revealed he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.
Three months later, he wrote his essay for ESPN, confirming that he was diagnosed with Stage IV glioblastoma.
“A few months ago, my family released a short statement saying I had a brain tumor. It was simple, but intentionally vague,” Collins wrote in December 2025. “They did that to protect my privacy while I was mentally unable to speak for myself, and my loved ones were trying to understand what we were dealing with. But now it’s time for people to hear directly from me.”
He shared, “I have Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. It came on incredibly fast.”
Collins later traveled to Singapore to receive experimental treatments that are not yet authorized in the United States. He documented his journey via social media, including a health update video posted in January.
“I have just finished cycle one of EDV treatment here in Singapore and the results are very encouraging,” he shared on January 15. “The scan I had is called FET-PET/MRI which distinguishes actively growing cancer cells from necrotic (essentially dead) tumor cells, and my tumor cells appeared to be non living. This is exciting news and pending FDA approval I am continuing further doses of EDV’s back in the US.”
The following month, Collins participated in a health walk in Inglewood, California, in support of NBC Cares. He was also seen sitting courtside at a Stanford University basketball game in February.
Collins is survived by his husband, Brunson Green, whom he married in May 2025, his parents, Portia and Paul Collins, and twin brother, Jarron Collins.
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