Jason Collins, the former NBA center who became the league’s first openly gay player, has died at the age of 47 after a battle with glioblastoma, his family confirmed.
The announcement was shared on behalf of the family by his twin brother, Jarron Collins, and sister-in-law, Elsa Marie Collins, who posted a statement on social media describing his passing and honoring his life and legacy.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma. Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.”
The carousel of photos features snippets of Jason Collins’ life, from when he was the center for Stanford University Cardinals from 1997 to 2001, as well as when he made it on the cover of TIME‘s 100 Most Influential People in the World issue in April 2014 following his groundbreaking coming-out as the first openly gay male athlete in a major American professional sport.
In their heartfelt statement, Jason Collins’ family also expressed gratitude for the support they received during his illness and thanked the medical teams involved in his care.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of love and and prayers over the past eight months … Our family will miss him dearly.”
What is glioblastoma? Jason Collins’ “dangerous” diagnosis
In September 2025, the former NBA star’s family revealed that he was being treated for a brain tumor. Jason Collins then announced his Stage 4 glioblastoma diagnosis by December. At the time, he told ESPN:
“A few months ago, my family released a short statement saying I had a brain tumor. It was simple, but intentionally vague. They did that to protect my privacy while I was mentally unable to speak for myself and my loved ones were trying to understand what we were dealing with. But now it’s time for people to hear directly from me. I have Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. It came on incredibly fast.”
As per Cleveland Clinic, Glioblastoma, abbreviated GBM, is a rapidly growing and malignant tumor that develops in either the brain or spinal cord and arises out of glial cells called astrocytes.
Jason Collins echoed the info in his announcement, citing how “dangerous” his diagnosis was.
“What makes glioblastoma so dangerous is that it grows within a very finite, contained space — the skull — and it’s very aggressive and can expand. What makes it so difficult to treat in my case is that it’s surrounded by the brain and is encroaching upon the frontal lobe, which is what makes you, ‘you.'”
Collins was widely recognized for making history in professional basketball. During his 13-year NBA career, he played for multiple teams and later became a prominent figure in sports and LGBTQ+ visibility after publicly coming out in 2013 while still an active player.
Meanwhile, as of May 13, funeral arrangements for the former NBA player have not been publicly announced.
Edited by Gladys Altamarino