Jason Collins, the former NBA center who made history as the first openly gay active player in the league, has died at age 47 following an eight-month battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. His family announced on Tuesday that Collins passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home on May 12 after a valiant fight with stage 4 glioblastoma, a highly malignant brain tumor with an extremely low survival rate. The family statement, released through the NBA, said they were heartbroken to share the loss of their beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love and prayers along with the exceptional medical care he received from his doctors and nurses.
Collins revealed in September 2025 that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor and later disclosed he had been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, which he described as having come on incredibly fast. He pursued experimental treatments not yet authorized in the United States, traveling to Singapore in the winter for care that allowed him to return home and attend NBA All-Star Weekend events in Los Angeles and a game at his alma mater Stanford. Despite a brief improvement, the cancer returned, and Collins said in December that while the average prognosis was 11 to 14 months, he preferred spending his time trying a course of treatment that might one day become a new standard of care for others. He is survived by his husband, film producer Brunson Green, whom he married in May 2025 after dating since 2014.
Collins played 13 seasons in the NBA after being selected 18th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2001 draft and traded on draft night to the New Jersey Nets. Over his career he suited up for the Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards, helping New Jersey reach back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003 alongside Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Known as a physical defender and steady rebounder, he averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds across 735 games, with his best season coming in 2004-05 when he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.
His most enduring legacy came in April 2013 when he came out as gay in a first-person essay for Sports Illustrated, becoming the first active male athlete in any of North America’s four major professional sports leagues to do so. The announcement drew widespread support, including from then-President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, and he went on to play 22 games for the Brooklyn Nets in 2013-14 before retiring. After his playing career, Collins served as an ambassador for NBA Cares, the league’s social responsibility arm, working to make basketball and the broader sports community more inclusive.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’ impact extended far beyond basketball and that he exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism, helping make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more welcoming for future generations. Former teammates and coaches paid tribute, with Jason Kidd calling him a pioneer with courage like you’ve never seen and an incredible teammate whose friendship was a blessing. Just last week, Collins received the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit, with his twin brother and former NBA player Jarron Collins accepting on his behalf and describing him as the bravest, strongest man he had ever known. Collins was cremated on May 15, and the league has not yet announced formal plans for a memorial, though several of his former teams are expected to honor his 13-year career and his contributions to the sport and to inclusion.
