Former New Jersey Nets center Jason Collins died after an eight-month battle with cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California, on May 12. He was 47. His family announced the news in a statement to the NBA:
“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 statement continued:
“We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
Jason Collins’ ex-fiancé and former WNBA player Carolyn Moos, also 47, has yet to publicly address his death. They were in an eight-year relationship and were engaged before Collins called it off in the summer of 2009.
Two months after he came out as gay in May 2013, Carolyn told Cosmopolitan how Jason had abruptly ended the relationship one night and left, before calling her four years later to confess about his true sexuality. She continued:
“I empathize with Jason and support him. But at the same time, I remain deeply hurt by him. I wish he could have been honest with me years ago… He’s being hailed as a pioneer, but I believe true heroism is a result of being honest with yourself and with those you love.”
Moos further told TMZ:
“It’s very emotional for me as a woman to have invested [eight] years in my dream to have a husband, soul mate and best friend in him. So, this is all hard to understand.”
While Jason Collins went on to date film producer/ studio owner Brunson Green in 2014 and married him in May 2025, Carolyn Moos has been married to a military veteran, Mr Hardin. She welcomed her daughter Chysa in December 2025.
All you need to know about Carolyn Moos and her past criticism of Jason Collins
Carolyn Moos was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her older brother Dan. Her parents, Charles and Melinda, encouraged her to become a show horse jumper at the young age of nine. She also played soccer, tennis, and hockey, while also taking swimming and dance lessons.
Carolyn stood at 6 feet at the mere age of 13, which is when her family and teachers pushed her to pursue basketball. She represented North Tartan AAU in the nationals while continuing to play for her high school. At The Blake School, Moos earned the title of WBCA All-American after scoring the winning 8-points in the WBCA High School All-America Game.
Before graduating from high school, Carolyn Moos also represented the USA at the Junior Olympics in Brazil and won a gold medal. She also participated in the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship and the FIBA Under-19 World Cup.
After obtaining her B.A. degree in sociology and communications from the prestigious Stanford University and playing basketball for the women’s team, Moos relocated to France for a year. After she returned, she was drafted by the WNBA team Phoenix Mercury in the fourth round of the draft in 2001. In subsequent seasons, she played for the Miami Sol and Minnesota Lynx.
Carolyn Moos went on to earn a master’s degree in health communication management from USC before retiring from professional basketball and becoming a nutritional consultant, fitness coach, and personal trainer. She is also a certified yoga instructor and basketball skill development trainer.
Moos offers her services via her Fit For Living Life website. Her pre-recorded workout sessions and nutrition content can also be found on the Thinkific site. Before founding her own business, the mother of one worked as a wellness director at Belle Haven Golf Club, as a freelance website designer, and camp director for TNBA Clippers. She is a lifetime board member at Legends of Basketball.
After Jason Collins became the first NBA player to come out as gay in a personal essay on Sports Illustrated, Carolyn Moos sat down with Cosmopolitan to share her side of the story.
She recalled crossing paths with Jason Collins at Stanford during one of her early morning runs and being drawn to his height and handsome appearance:
“I had just gone out for a jog when I ran smack into Jason and Jarron—two towering, stunning guys. I stopped and introduced myself, thrilled to meet people who were actually taller than I am. I was attracted to Jason, but was shy. We had a brief chat, and I kept running. I called my mom that night and said, ‘I think I’m going to be at home at Stanford—I feel normal, like I fit in.’”
After college, the pair had a chance encounter at one of Jason Collins’ NBA games against Denver and reconnected later that evening:
“There he was, playing with the New Jersey Nets. We agreed to meet up after the game. When we did, we looked at each other and almost simultaneously asked why we hadn’t dated in college. I felt incredibly attracted to him. I always had been— I’d just been too shy and focused on my goals to show it.”
They soon began dating and began living together, with Jason Collins often waking her up by “rubbing a rose” on her face and telling her how much he “believed” in her. They also spent vacations, swam with dolphins, and spoke about having children in the future.
In fact, Jason Collins went down on his knees during a 2008 vacation in Mexico.
“Some seven years after we had begun our relationship, he finally said the words I had waited so long to hear… Over dinner on our last night, he started out slowly, saying, ‘I’ve been thinking about my life, what I want.’ I felt like finishing the sentence for him. Then he said, ‘I wanted to ask if you would marry me.’ I remember feeling overwhelmed with joy and also thinking: Finally! I was almost 30.”
A year down the line, Jason Collins broke off the engagement, and she managed to move on, despite being hurt.
“In the years that followed, I dated other men, I built up my business, I had a full life. But when it came to Jason, deep sadness and confusion remained.”
A few days before his essay made headlines, Jason Collins left a message for his ex-fiancé on a Sunday asking her to call him back as he had “something important to talk about.” Carolyn continued:
“I was working and called the next morning. He uttered an eerily familiar phrase: ‘You may want to sit down.’ Then he said, ‘Carolyn, I’m gay.’ I was stunned. I managed to say, after a silent moment and then a deep breath, ‘I had no idea. I’m sure a huge weight is off your shoulders.’ During all the years I had known him, I never would have guessed that he would come out as gay. We talked again briefly that night. He answered a few questions, but there was much left to discuss and he said he had to go.”
At the time, Moos told Cosmopolitan that it had been several weeks since Jason Collins broke the news to her, but hadn’t made any more contact despite saying that he would. She claimed her ex was prioritizing the media over her, which made her “sad.” In saying so, she also left on a positive note:
“I understand now that you can never truly know what’s going on in the mind of another person, no matter how well you think you know them. But you do know yourself. Be your own cheerleader. Trust in yourself.”
Carolyn Moos also spoke about taking the “empowering” decision to freeze her eggs and looking forward to finding her a dream man and having kids with him (which she did!). She had also spoken about writing a book about her personal life. It remains unclear whether that was ever published.
Now, in the wake of Jason Collins’ untimely demise, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver paid tribute, describing the late athlete’s impact and influence as “inclusive and welcoming for future generations” and extending beyond the basketball and larger sports community. Silver added:
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others. On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
Last September, the NBA announced Jason Collins’ brain tumor diagnosis. He was reported to be undergoing treatment. Three months later, Collins himself revealed he was battling Stage 4 glioblastoma.
Edited by Pallavi K