NBA's Jason Collins comes out as gay
mysticweed
Posts: 3,710
NBA veteran Jason Collins became the first active male player in the four major American professional sports to come out as gay.
The 34-year-old center, who has played for six teams in 12 seasons, wrote a first-person account that was posted on Sports Illustrated's website Monday. Collins finished the season with the Washington Wizards and is now a free agent. He says he wants to keep playing.
''If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,'' he writes. ''Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.''
Collins played in a Final Four for Stanford and reached two NBA Finals. His twin brother, Jarron, was also a longtime NBA center. Collins says he told his brother he was gay last summer.
''Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue,'' NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement.
Among those offering support on social media was former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, a friend from Stanford. She tweeted: ''Very proud of my friend Jason Collins for having the strength & courage to be the first openly gay player in the NBA.''
Collins was also college roommates with another member of an American political dynasty: Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass. In his account, Collins wrote that he realized he needed to go public when the congressman walked in Boston's gay pride parade last year - and Collins couldn't join him.
Kennedy tweeted Monday that ''I've always been proud to call (Collins) a friend, and I'm even prouder to stand with him today.''
Mostly a backup in his career, Collins has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics and Wizards. He was traded from Boston to Washington in February. Collins was the 18th pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft.
Several male athletes have previously come out after they retired, including the NBA's John Amaechi, the NFL's Esera Tuaolo and Major League Baseball's Billy Bean. But Collins is the first to do so while planning to keep playing.
Advocacy organization GLAAD released a statement from Aaron McQuade, who head of its sports program.
''`Courage' and `inspiration' are words that get thrown around a lot in sports, but Jason Collins has given both ideas a brand new context,'' he said. ''We hope that his future team will welcome him, and that fans of the NBA and sports in general will applaud him. We know that the NBA will proudly support him, and that countless young LGBT Athletes now have a new hero.''
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/jaso ... gay-042913
The 34-year-old center, who has played for six teams in 12 seasons, wrote a first-person account that was posted on Sports Illustrated's website Monday. Collins finished the season with the Washington Wizards and is now a free agent. He says he wants to keep playing.
''If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,'' he writes. ''Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.''
Collins played in a Final Four for Stanford and reached two NBA Finals. His twin brother, Jarron, was also a longtime NBA center. Collins says he told his brother he was gay last summer.
''Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue,'' NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement.
Among those offering support on social media was former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, a friend from Stanford. She tweeted: ''Very proud of my friend Jason Collins for having the strength & courage to be the first openly gay player in the NBA.''
Collins was also college roommates with another member of an American political dynasty: Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass. In his account, Collins wrote that he realized he needed to go public when the congressman walked in Boston's gay pride parade last year - and Collins couldn't join him.
Kennedy tweeted Monday that ''I've always been proud to call (Collins) a friend, and I'm even prouder to stand with him today.''
Mostly a backup in his career, Collins has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics and Wizards. He was traded from Boston to Washington in February. Collins was the 18th pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft.
Several male athletes have previously come out after they retired, including the NBA's John Amaechi, the NFL's Esera Tuaolo and Major League Baseball's Billy Bean. But Collins is the first to do so while planning to keep playing.
Advocacy organization GLAAD released a statement from Aaron McQuade, who head of its sports program.
''`Courage' and `inspiration' are words that get thrown around a lot in sports, but Jason Collins has given both ideas a brand new context,'' he said. ''We hope that his future team will welcome him, and that fans of the NBA and sports in general will applaud him. We know that the NBA will proudly support him, and that countless young LGBT Athletes now have a new hero.''
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/jaso ... gay-042913
fuck 'em if they can't take a joke
"what a long, strange trip it's been"
"what a long, strange trip it's been"
Post edited by Unknown User on
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be interesting to see the response from other players ...0
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I hope he has some big broad shoulders on him...gonna need them...good luck to him and all that follow.0
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Tough to judge the NBA's response because he might not get signed anyway.
34 year old free agents that average 1 point per game are not in high demand.0 -
His twin brother shocked to hear his brother tell him he was gay last year. Both play in the NBA and the brother said, 'so much for twin telepathy".
Peace*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)0 -
good for him.
he is a pioneer. he will be remembered not so much for his career, but because he was brave enough to come out while still an active player."You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
81 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......81 is now off the air
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Glad he did it.
Sorry about your dog, Gimme, he's beautiful!0 -
Kobe tweeted support for him.Post edited by cp3iverson on0
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81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
Says a straight guy
How about millions of people, young especially, who are struggling with who they are and feel like they have no one to look up to or follow. The same people that look to YouTube videos to talk themselves out of committing suicide because society tells them they are different. Perhaps one of these kids would have rethought their decision by having someone to look up to who came out of the closet in the most masculine career possible and did it successfully with the support of many peers (TBD).
https://www.google.com/search?q=gay+tee ... ss&ie=&oe=
They probably would have cared0 -
81 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276Cliffy6745 wrote:81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
Says a straight guy
How about millions of people, young especially, who are struggling with who they are and feel like they have no one to look up to or follow. The same people that look to YouTube videos to talk themselves out of committing suicide because society tells them they are different. Perhaps one of these kids would have rethought their decision by having someone to look up to who comes out of the closet in the most masculine career possible and does it successfully with the support of many peers.
https://www.google.com/search?q=gay+tee ... ss&ie=&oe=
fair enough. but he's not the first nba player to come out....hell, he's not even under contract any more. so if he doesn't get signed, will he still be the first active player? i dunno...carry on.81 is now off the air0 -
81 wrote:Cliffy6745 wrote:81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
Says a straight guy
How about millions of people, young especially, who are struggling with who they are and feel like they have no one to look up to or follow. The same people that look to YouTube videos to talk themselves out of committing suicide because society tells them they are different. Perhaps one of these kids would have rethought their decision by having someone to look up to who comes out of the closet in the most masculine career possible and does it successfully with the support of many peers.
https://www.google.com/search?q=gay+tee ... ss&ie=&oe=
fair enough. but he's not the first nba player to come out....hell, he's not even under contract any more. so if he doesn't get signed, will he still be the first active player? i dunno...carry on.
Who knows...we'll see. More will follow though, I would imagine. He said he didn't even come out to his family until last year, so it happened pretty quickly. Thought about doing it earlier in the year but decided against it to avoid distractions for the team.0 -
gimmesometruth27 wrote:good for him.
he is a pioneer. he will be remembered not so much for his career, but because he was brave enough to come out while still an active player.
I was just admiring your picture at the base of your post when the terrible truth dawned on me...please believe me when I say I am so sorry for the loss of Nash, a bitter blow after such a long time together. I'm afraid I know how you feel as we have just lost our Basset after 14 years...so sorry.Post edited by Pjzepp67 on0 -
A few thoughts..
1) I give him credit for coming out. Always takes balls to be the first.
2) This won't be that big a deal in a few days. Am curious to see what happens when a superstar comes out.
3) He is 34, a free agent, and a journeyman. It was probably 50/50 he was going to get another chance to play in the NBA. I bet this helps his cause rather than hinders it.___________________________________________
"...I changed by not changing at all..."0 -
I think this is a great step. what we need to see if the big 4 pro leagues coming out and also supporting gay rights and gay players. I know that the NHL has a PSA out there, are there any other leagues doing that?0
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81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
i agree with the 'who the fuck cares' in the sense that who the fuck care that a professional athlete came out? kudos to him and any gay person for coming out, but society puts professional athletes on such a ridiculous pedestal. most overrated, overhyped, overpaid profession in the world. it's a shame that the sports culture prevents many from coming out.0 -
81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
I bet alot more people care versus your who the fuck cares stance ....And i believe he is the 1st active player to come out ..jesus greets me looks just like me ....0 -
81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
A little harsh, no?
Homophobic?The whole world will be different soon... - EV
RED ROCKS 6-19-95
AUGUSTA 9-26-96
MANSFIELD 9-15-98
BOSTON 9-29-04
BOSTON 5-25-06
MANSFIELD 6-30-08
EV SOLO BOSTON 8-01-08
BOSTON 5-17-10
EV SOLO BOSTON 6-16-11
PJ20 9-3-11
PJ20 9-4-11
WRIGLEY 7-19-13
WORCESTER 10-15-13
WORCESTER 10-16-13
HARTFORD 10-25-130 -
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ed243421 wrote:81 wrote:who the fuck cares. really.
when did america become so fasicinated with jovial people.
yay...he's gay....good for him. go celebrate with a big.......
A little harsh, no?
Homophobic?
I didn't take what 81 said as harsh. There are so many people coming out, that ok, now an NBA player is doing it too. It really is no big deal, it's becoming quite common.0
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