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Jason Collins, first openly gay active NBA player, dies after cancer battle
Key takeaways
- The 213cm centre, who publicly came out as gay in 2013, had been battling a brain tumour.
- “We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” the family said in a statement on Tuesday.
- The 7-footer (2.13 metres tall) made headlines in 2013 when he became the first active male athlete in one of North America’s four major professional sports leagues to publicly come out as gay.
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The 213cm centre, who publicly came out as gay in 2013, had been battling a brain tumour.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Jason Collins played in the NBA from 2001 until 2014 [File: Kirby Lee/Imagn Images via Reuters]By Reuters Published On 13 May 202613 May 2026Jason Collins, the first openly gay active player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), has died at the age of 47 after battling cancer.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” the family said in a statement on Tuesday.
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Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies aged 47
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Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies at 47 of brain tumor
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Jason Collins, first openly gay NBA player, dies at 47 of brain tumour
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