The seven-foot center who changed professional sports forever by stepping out of the shadows died at home in Los Angeles, his family by his side, after eight months of fighting a brain tumor doctors described as a “monster with tentacles.”
Story Snapshot
- Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in NBA history, died at 47 from stage 4 glioblastoma on May 12, 2026
- The 13-year NBA veteran came out in a 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story while still an active player, breaking barriers across all major North American men’s sports leagues
- Collins traveled to Singapore for experimental treatments that temporarily extended his life beyond the initial six-week prognosis, allowing him to attend NBA All-Star Weekend
- His husband Brunson Green and twin brother Jarron Collins, a former NBA player and coach, survive him
- The inoperable tumor spanning the width of a baseball proved too aggressive for even cutting-edge therapies to contain
The Courage That Changed Everything
Collins made history on April 29, 2013, when Sports Illustrated published his first-person account of living as a closeted professional athlete. At 34, playing for the Washington Wizards, he became the first active player in the NBA, NFL, NHL, or Major League Baseball history to publicly identify as gay.
The Stanford graduate’s announcement drew immediate support from President Barack Obama and NBA stars like LeBron James, signaling a cultural shift in American sports.
He played his final season with the Brooklyn Nets in 2013-14, wearing number 98 to honor Matthew Shepard, before retiring and transitioning into an NBA global ambassador role that earned him a spot on Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in 2014.
The defensive specialist spent 13 seasons protecting the paint for six NBA teams after Houston drafted him 18th overall in 2001. Standing seven feet tall, Collins carved out a reputation for toughness and reliability across stops with the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics, and Wizards.
His Stanford pedigree and basketball IQ made him valuable despite modest scoring numbers. Teams valued his ability to guard opposing centers and provide veteran leadership.
After retirement, he leveraged that respect into advocacy work, speaking globally about inclusion and authenticity in professional environments where such conversations had historically been taboo.
When the Monster Arrived
Concentration problems in late 2025 sent Collins to doctors who discovered the devastating truth through imaging: a stage 4 glioblastoma had taken root beneath his brain.
This particular cancer, arising from star-shaped astrocyte cells, carries one of medicine’s grimmest prognoses. Glioblastoma spreads tentacles through brain tissue like roots through soil, making surgical removal impossible.
The blood-brain barrier, which protects healthy neural tissue, also blocks most chemotherapy drugs. Five-year survival rates hover below 10%.
Oncologists initially gave Collins six weeks to three months without treatment. The tumor measured the width of a baseball, invading areas controlling cognition and motor function.
Jason Collins, the first man to come out as openly gay while playing in the NBA, has died following months of treatment for glioblastoma, his family says. He was 47. https://t.co/bQUQwwivEZ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 13, 2026
Collins chose to fight rather than accept hospice care. In November 2025, he disclosed his diagnosis publicly through ESPN, characterizing the tumor as a monster he intended to battle with every available weapon. That winter, he traveled to Singapore seeking experimental treatments unavailable in the United States.
Medical teams there employed novel chemotherapy delivery methods designed to bypass the blood-brain barrier, including what researchers called a “Trojan horse” approach that smuggled cancer-killing drugs past the brain’s natural defenses.
The treatments bought precious time. By early 2026, Collins had improved enough to fly home and attend NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, then cheer courtside at a Stanford basketball game.
The Final Recurrence
Spring brought cruel news. Imaging revealed the cancer had returned with renewed aggression, spreading faster than the experimental protocols could suppress it. Collins found himself unable to complete the full treatment course doctors had mapped out in Singapore.
The disease that had briefly retreated now advanced through brain regions that control essential functions.
His family watched helplessly as the man who had faced down NBA enforcers and societal prejudice met an enemy impervious to courage. Quality of life deteriorated in the final weeks as the tumor pressed against structures governing movement, speech, and consciousness.
The NBA released a family statement on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, confirming Collins had died peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones.
His husband, Brunson Green, twin brother Jarron Collins, and parents, Portia and Paul, had maintained vigil as his condition worsened. The statement expressed gratitude to the medical teams in both countries for extending his life beyond initial predictions. NBA teams responded with tributes acknowledging Collins as a pioneer.
The Boston Celtics, one of his former employers, praised his courage in breaking barriers. The Washington Wizards, where he played when he came out, honored his legacy of authenticity and leadership.
Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, dies at 47 from brain cancer https://t.co/Tbfb2jbNPE
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) May 13, 2026
Collins leaves behind a dual legacy that intertwines athletic achievement with social progress. His willingness to risk career backlash by coming out while still active opened doors for athletes across all sports to live authentically.
Carl Nassib, who became the first openly gay active NFL player in 2021, followed a path Collins pioneered. WNBA star Brittney Griner, who came out the same year as Collins, benefited from the conversation he started.
Beyond sports, his public battle with glioblastoma brought attention to a disease that kills approximately 13,000 Americans annually yet receives comparatively little research funding.
His pursuit of experimental treatments in Singapore highlighted both the promise and limitations of cutting-edge cancer therapies racing against biology’s cruelest timelines.
Sources:
Jason Collins death: First openly gay NBA player dies from brain tumour aged 47 – The Independent
Jason Collins, 1st openly gay NBA player, dies of brain cancer at 47 – ESPN
Jason Collins cause of death: NBA’s first openly gay player dies at 47 – Times of India
Jason Collins, first openly gay NBA player, dies of cancer at 47 – ABC7
