Arabic version: جيسون كولينز، لاعب NBA رائد، يتوفى عن عمر يناهز 47 عامًا
According to BBC News,
Jason Collins, the first active male athlete on a major American professional team sport to come out as gay, has died at the age of 47 after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. His family confirmed his death in a statement shared by the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Collins announced last year that he had been diagnosed with the cancer and was undergoing treatment to stop the spread of the inoperable disease. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praised Collins for his significant impact on making the NBA and the broader sports community more inclusive. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life,” Silver said.
In December 2025, Collins disclosed that he had been struggling to focus before the cancer was diagnosed. He described the tumor as a “monster with tentacles” spreading across the underside of his brain the width of a baseball and was informed by doctors that he had only three months to live without treatment. He was receiving Avastin to slow the tumor’s growth and had been traveling to Singapore for targeted chemotherapy.
Collins previously played for six teams over his 13-season career in the NBA and was recognized on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people. He retired in 2014, having made history as the first openly gay athlete to compete in any of the major four U.S. sports leagues. His coming out essay in 2013 declared, “I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m Black and I’m gay,” marking a significant moment in sports history.
His family stated that Collins changed lives in unexpected ways and served as an inspiration to many. His legacy extends beyond basketball, impacting future generations in the sports community and beyond.
