Sports in mourning: farewell to Jason Collins, first NBA player to come out

At only 47 years old, Jason Collins has passed away. Breaking the sad news of the former NBA player’s passing was his family. “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, after a courageous fight against glioblastoma,” his family said in a press release issued by the NBA

“Jason changed the lives of many people in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of affection and prayers received over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. He will be deeply missed by our family,” the statement further reads.

Jason Collins had retired in 2014 after an NBA career of as many as 13 years, playing in the jerseys of New Jersey, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston and Washington. In 2013, he had declared his homosexuality in a Sports Illustrated cover story, becoming the first openly gay athlete to play in one of the four major North American sports leagues.

“When I came out, there was no scandal or anything,” Jason Collins himself had told ESPN last November. “I simply said, ‘I feel I’m good enough to play in the NBA and, by the way, I’m gay’….”