Former NBA center Jason Collins announces brain tumor, enters cancer treatment
League says Collins, a 13-year veteran and the NBA’s first openly gay player, is undergoing treatment and has requested privacy
Jason Collins, a 13-year NBA veteran and the league’s first openly gay player, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and has begun cancer treatment, the NBA said in a statement Thursday.
"NBA Ambassador and 13-year NBA veteran Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor," the league said. "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."
The announcement did not disclose the type of tumor, the stage of the disease or the medical facility where Collins is being treated. The league's statement asked the public to respect the family’s privacy as he focuses on his care.
Collins, who spent 13 seasons in the NBA and later served as an NBA ambassador, first drew international attention off the court in May 2013 when he publicly revealed he was gay while a free agent. He signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 23, 2014 and became the first active NBA player to come out as gay. He remained with the team for the remainder of that season and retired the following November.
Collins and his twin brother, Jarron, played together at Stanford before entering the NBA in 2001. Known during his career as a defensive-minded center, Collins continued to participate in league and community events after retiring, including the NBA/WNBA joint participation in the New York City Pride Parade in 2024.
The announcement comes months after Collins married Brunson Green in May. Green, a Hollywood producer who earned a Best Picture Oscar nomination for the film The Help, attended the wedding alongside friends including actress Octavia Spencer, who posted a photograph of the newlyweds on social media.
The NBA did not provide a timetable for treatment or comment on Collins’s current condition beyond the initial statement. No additional medical details were released by Collins’s representatives as of Thursday.
Collins’s public profile and role as an ambassador had made him a prominent figure in conversations about inclusion and representation in professional sports. The league’s request for privacy leaves questions about his prognosis and next steps unanswered, and officials said they would not provide further updates until the family authorized them.
Supporters, former teammates and members of the basketball community have not yet issued formal statements beyond the NBA’s notification. The league’s message asking for privacy and support concluded the statement: "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."