Former NBA center Jason Collins announced he is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor in a public statement. The 2001 first-round pick played 13 seasons in the association, mostly for the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks after brief stints with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also played for the Boston Celtics in 2012-13 before his last season with the Nets. In 2020, Collins announced he had tested postived for COVID.
Five years removed from that announcement, Collins revealed he's diagnosed with a brain tumor in a press release from the NBA.
“NBA Ambassador and 13-year NBA veteran Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor,” Collins' statement reads. “Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason's health and well-being.”
Collins was the Nets' 18th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He was a starter for the then New Jersey Nets for six seasons and the Timberwolves in 2008-09 before taking on secondary roles in the latter half of his career.
Why Jason Collins was proud of the NBA for moving All-Star Game
Former center Jason Collins came out as the NBA's first openly gay player in 2013, becoming the first active player in any of the four major sports to do so. In 2o16, Collins thanked the NBA for moving the All-Star Game from Charlotte to New Orleans in the wake of North Carolina's controversial legislature that was passed (House Bill 2), a disciminatory “bathroom bill” that limited protections for the LGBTQ community.
Collins commended the NBA for standing against the state's new legislature on his X, formerly Twitter.
“As a member of the NBA family and as a gay man, I'm extremely proud to see the NBA take initiative and move the All-Star Game from North Carolina. Their decision is an extremely poignant one and shows that discrimination of any kind is not welcome in sports and is not acceptable in any part of our society. The NBA has set the best kind of precedent moving forward for all to follow.”
The All-Star Game was later rescheduled for 2019 in Charlotte after HB2 was partially repealed.
