Jason Collins, First Openly Gay NBA Player And A Former Hawk, Dead At 47

Jason Collins, the first NBA player to be openly gay, who played three seasons for the Hawks, has died after a monthslong battle with an aggressive brain tumor. He was 47.

His family announced the death in a statement shared Tuesday by the NBA.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” the statement said.

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.”

Collins spent 13 years as a player in the league for six different franchises. He revealed in 2013 that he was gay, an announcement that came toward the end of his playing career.

“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,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Tuesday.

“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.”

Collins played three seasons with the Hawks, from 2009 to 2012, according to ESPN.

"Jason Collins’ impact on the Atlanta Hawks organization reached far beyond basketball. During his time in Atlanta, he was a consummate professional, leader and winner," the team said Tuesday in a post on X.

"As a teammate, he earned respect through his humility, quiet strength and integrity. His courage and authenticity broke barriers across professional sports and will be part of his lasting legacy."

Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in his career. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach two NBA Finals and in his best season averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds for them in 2004-05.

Just last week, Collins received the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit. He was too ill to attend and his twin brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins, accepted for him.

Jason Collins revealed his sexuality in a first-person account for Sports Illustrated in April 2013. He was a free agent at the time, said he wanted to keep playing, and went on to play in 22 games with Brooklyn the following season.

“If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,” he wrote at that time. “Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”

At Stanford, Collins was roommates with Joe Kennedy III, who spent eight years in Congress representing Massachusetts.

Collins, in the piece for Sports Illustrated, wrote that he realized he needed to go public about his sexuality when Kennedy walked in Boston’s gay pride parade in 2012 — but Collins couldn’t do the same.

He wore jersey No. 98 for the majority of his final three playing stints with Boston, Washington and Brooklyn — a nod to the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.