UMass Guard Gordon Makes History
22-year-old junior becomes first openly gay Division I men's basketball player to play in collegiate game
“I’d seen a gay flag in the stands today, which I highly, highly appreciated…. I have a lot of support behind me, family, friends, teammates, coaches, the whole nine [yards], everybody just supporting me and wanting me to do great, so I’m going to stay positive and just continue to grind.”
— Derrick Gordon, in a post-game interview with ESPN after he became the first openly gay Division I men’s basketball player to compete in a collegiate game on Friday, Nov. 14. Gordon, a guard for the University of Massachusetts Amherst, helped lead the Minutemen to a 95-87 victory over Siena College, scoring 17 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and sinking 11 of 12 free throws. Gordon, a 22-year-old native of Plainfield, N.J., came out in an interview with ESPN’s Kate Fagan in April. Before Friday’s game, he told Fagan that his relationship with his teammates is much better since coming out. “We became a lot closer, and it shows on the court,” he said. “My game has gone to another level…I’m ready to show the whole world that I’m a complete package.”
Image credit: Kate Fagan/ESPN.com
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