Jason Collins at a White House Pride event – Photo: Facebook
Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, is reportedly undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Collins made headlines more than a decade ago when he came out publicly in a first-person essay for Sports Illustrated.
The 41-year-old former center earned All-American honors at Stanford before being drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2001. Over his 13-year career, he played for several NBA teams, including the New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets.
Collins currently serves as an NBA Ambassador, helping to promote the league by appearing at events, engaging with fans, and supporting its initiatives.
As reported by the LGBTQ news website Outsports, the NBA shared a statement from Collins’ family on September 11 announcing his diagnosis.
“NBA Ambassador and 13-year NBA veteran Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor,” the statement reads. “Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason’s health and well-being.”
The following statement was issued today on behalf of Jason Collins and his family: pic.twitter.com/36lKwB7NiR
Neither the family nor the NBA shared additional details, such as when Collins was diagnosed or what treatment he is receiving.
When Collins came out in 2013, he became only the second active openly gay male athlete in major U.S. professional sports, following Major League Soccer player Robbie Rogers.
“No one wants to live in fear. I’ve always been scared of saying the wrong thing. I don’t sleep well. I never have,” Collins wrote in Sports Illustrated. “But each time I tell another person, I feel stronger and sleep a little more soundly. … I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew. And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time.”
Upon coming out, Collins received support from prominent figures, including President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and former President Bill Clinton. Obama said he “couldn’t be prouder” of him.
Collins, a defensive specialist, finished his career with more than 2,600 points and 2,700 rebounds, helping the Nets reach the NBA Finals. Since retiring, he has advocated for greater LGBTQ inclusion across sports, including supporting an NBA LGBTQ youth clinic held during the men’s NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
Earlier this year, Collins married his husband, film producer Brunson Green, in a private ceremony in Austin, Texas, according to People magazine.
Anthony Filomena, a former public relations manager for the Chicago Blackhawks, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging he was fired because of his sexual orientation. The complaint, filed on August 14 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims the team discriminated and retaliated against him after he raised concerns about bias, and seeks back pay, damages, attorney’s fees, and other relief.
Filomena, who worked for the Blackhawks from July 2022 until his termination on May 3, 2024, says the organization was aware of his sexual orientation when he was hired, according to Chicago FOX affiliate WFLD.
Conservatives are outraged after Harris County commissioners voted to approve nearly half a million dollars in taxpayer funds to help Houston host the annual Gay Softball World Series.
Four of the five commissioners backed the $468,810 sponsorship for the tournament, which marks its 48th edition in late September.
The tournament typically draws about 3,000 athletes and 2,000 fans, and is expected to generate $8-$12 million in revenue from spending on hotels, food, drinks, entertainment, and other local businesses, according to Houston’s ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.
California Democrat says House Oversight Chair James Comer made a "homophobic" remark after Democrats challenged his handling of the Epstein investigation.
U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, fired back at Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) after Comer dismissed him as a "real big drama queen."
Comer's jab came after Democrats released a sexually suggestive letter allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The letter, featuring a drawing of a curvaceous woman used as the backdrop for birthday wishes, was allegedly signed by Donald Trump and included in a 2003 album celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday. Trump had been friendly with Epstein during the 1980s and 1990s.
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