Jason Collins, first openly gay active NBA player, dies after cancer battle
The 213cm centre, who publicly came out as gay in 2013, had been battling a brain tumour.
AI Summary
Jason Collins, the first openly gay active player in the NBA, has died at age 47 from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Collins made history in 2013 when he publicly came out as gay through a Sports Illustrated essay, becoming the first active male athlete in a major North American professional sports league to do so, and received widespread support including from then-President Barack Obama. During his 13-season NBA career, he played for multiple teams and helped the New Jersey Nets reach consecutive NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.