NBA Player Jason Collins Announces He Is Gay
A historic first in America… a pro athlete has come out of the closet and announced he is gay.
Jason Collins, center for the Washington Wizards and an NBA player since 2001, has revealed to Sports Illustrated that he is gay. In an article for Sports Illustrated, he broke the news by saying “I’m a 34-year-old Center. I’m Black. And I’m gay; I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.”
The player, along with his twin brother, have both been high profile athletes since being drafted into the NBA in 2001. Collins, who’s currently a free agent and has played in six pro teams and two NBA finals, considered coming of the closet two years ago during the NBA lockout. He held off and later revealed himself to his Aunt Teri, a Superior Court judge in San Francisco. Her reaction: “I’ve known you were gay for years.” The sports star says he did not come out to his twin until last summer.
What made the NBA athlete announce publicly he was gay? He says, “The recent Boston Marathon bombing reinforced the notion that I shouldn’t wait for the circumstances of my coming out to be perfect. Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?” He also goes on to say, “I’m glad I can stop hiding and refocus on my 13th NBA season.”
So what is his twin brother and fellow NBA athlete Jerrod Collins’ reaction to his brother coming out in Sports Illustrated? “Today Jason has taken a huge weight off his shoulders. And I’ve never been more proud of him.”