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The basketball community has suffered another loss.
On May 12, it was announced that former Brooklyn Nets center and NBA Cares Ambassador Jason Collins passed away at the age of 47. Last September, Jason revealed that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, a tumor of the brain. Following the announcement of his passing, tributes poured in across the basketball world.
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“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. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. 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.
“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
The Brooklyn Nets shared a statement following Collins’ passing…
Collins’ NBA journey began with a bang. Though New Jersey Nets selected Eddie Griffin with the #7 overall pick in 2001, Rod Thorn knew the Rockets liked Griffin; the two teams soon worked out a trade to swap #7 for #13 (Richard Jefferson), #18 (Collins), and, #23 (Brandon Armstrong).
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New Jersey made the NBA Finals in each of Collins’ first two seasons, as the California native brought interior defense and tough to matchups against Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan on basketball’s biggest stage. In the ‘03 run, Collins started all 20 of New Jersey’s playoff games.
He saw the whole arc of those 2000’s Nets teams, from championship hopefuls to the unceremonious end, spending his first six-and-a-half seasons there before a trade in early 2008 sent him to the Atlanta Hawks. Collins also played for the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards.
But a snapshot of Collins’ Basketball Reference page will never tell half of his story. In April 2013, Jason publicly came out as a gay…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jason-collins-nba-first-openly-014645172.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-13 01:46:00
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