Jason Collins, the retired NBA heart who turned a groundbreaking determine in skilled sports activities, died on Might 12, 2026, at age 47 after battling stage 4 glioblastoma. Collins first shared his mind most cancers prognosis in December 2025, revealing that he had undergone surgical procedure and was receiving therapy after medical doctors found a tumor earlier that yr.
Although he spent greater than a decade within the NBA taking part in for groups together with the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards, Collins turned broadly identified in 2013 when he publicly got here out as homosexual whereas nonetheless an energetic participant. Following information of his loss of life, tributes from throughout the NBA and LGBTQ+ communities highlighted each his basketball profession and the affect he had far past the sport.
Study extra about Collins’ reason for loss of life and well being battle.
Who Was Jason Collins?
Collins was a former NBA heart who performed 13 seasons within the league for groups together with the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, and Washington Wizards.
In 2013, he turned the primary overtly homosexual energetic participant in a serious North American males’s skilled sports activities league after publicly popping out in a Sports activities Illustrated cowl story. Collins later labored as an NBA Cares ambassador and remained an influential determine in each the sports activities and LGBTQ+ communities.
Following Collins’ loss of life, NBA commissioner Adam Silver mirrored on the athlete’s legacy in a press release. “His affect and affect prolonged far past basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and bigger sports activities group extra inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” Silver mentioned. “Jason can be remembered not just for breaking obstacles, but in addition for the kindness and humanity that outlined his life and touched so many others.”
What Was Jason Collins’ Reason behind Dying?
Collins died on Might 12, 2026, at age 47 after battling stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive type of mind most cancers.
He publicly revealed his prognosis in December 2025, sharing particulars concerning the severity of the illness and the remedies he was present process. “The biopsy revealed that my glio had a development issue of 30%, that means that inside a matter of weeks, if nothing have been to be executed, the tumor would run out of room and I’d most likely be useless inside six weeks to a few months,” Collins mentioned in an essay instructed to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne on the time.
Collins additionally opened up about pursuing a number of types of therapy, together with radiation, chemotherapy, and experimental immunotherapy. “We’re going to attempt to hit it first, in methods it’s by no means been hit: with radiation and chemotherapy and immunotherapy that’s nonetheless being studied,” he defined.
Based on Collins, the usual chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ) didn’t work due to the tumor’s genetic make-up. He later traveled to Singapore for focused chemotherapy therapy whereas medical doctors labored to develop a customized immunotherapy plan.
Was Jason Collins Married?
Sure. Collins was married to movie producer Brunson Inexperienced. The couple tied the knot in Might 2025 in Austin, Texas, after being collectively for greater than a decade. Earlier than publicly popping out, Collins had beforehand been engaged to former WNBA participant Carolyn Moos, although the pair ended their engagement in 2009.
