Former NBA player Jason Collins is undergoing treatment for a brain tumour.
Former NBA player Jason Collins is undergoing treatment for a brain tumour. (Jerritt Clark/Getty Images)
Jason Collins, NBA’s first out gay player, is undergoing treatment for a brain tumour he has been diagnosed with, his family shared.
In a statement released by the NBA on Wednesday (11 September), Collins’ family said: “NBA Ambassador and 13-year NBA veteran Jason Collins is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumour.
“Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason’s health and well-being.”
The following statement was issued today on behalf of Jason Collins and his family: pic.twitter.com/36lKwB7NiR
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) September 11, 2025
The Brooklyn Nets took to X to share “love and support” for Collins and his family.
Sending our love and support to @jasoncollins98 and his family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Tcq3oO08so
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 11, 2025
Collins retired in 2014. In announcing his retirement to Sports Illustrated he said it had “been 18 exhilarating months” since his decision in April 2013 to come out publicly as gay.
He added: “When we get to the point where a gay pro athlete is no longer forced to live in fear that he’ll be shunned by teammates or outed by tabloids, when we get to the point where he plays while his significant other waits in the family room, when we get to the point where he’s not compelled to hide his true self and is able to live an authentic life, then coming out won’t be such a big deal. But we’re not there yet.”
In May, Collins married his long-time partner, Brunson Green, in an Austin, Texas, ceremony.
Jason Collins and Brunson Green
NBA star Jason Collins married Brunson Green. (Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for The Moth)
Collins started his career with the New Jersey Nets in 2001 and his career saw him go on to play with Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and then back to the Nets after they moved to Brooklyn.
In 2021, Collins spoke out about the powerful words Barack Obama said to him after he came out.
He said: “Words of support, words of acceptance. President Barack Obama said to me that my actions will have a positive impact on someone that I might not ever meet in my lifetime, and I thought, ‘That’s really cool. I never really thought about that!’”
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