Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in NBA history, died of brain cancer at his home on Tuesday at the age of 47. His family announced the news following his diagnosis of stage 4 glioblastoma last December.
Collins, a 7-foot center drafted 18th overall out of Stanford in 2001, played 13 seasons for teams including the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. He came out publicly in a 2013 Sports Illustrated essay, becoming the first active player to do so in any of the four major North American sports leagues before retiring the following year.
