Jason Collins, a 35-year-old centre, has finally become the NBA's first openly gay player.
You're probably thinking you've seen this story before, and that's because you have — Collins actually came out last April. However, the announcement was made during the offseason, and Collins wasn't signed to a team at the time, so he didn't count as an 'active' player.
Today, Collins has signed a 10-day contract to join the roster of the Brooklyn Nets, making him the first openly gay active player in any of the four major American sports leagues — the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. (Michael Sam, a star college football player, recently announed he was gay, but has yet to be drafted to the NFL.)
Collins has never been a particularly good player — he owns career averages of 3.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.5 blocks, numbers that basically any 7-footer could put up without much trouble — but has a reputation as a solid professional, a great teammate, and a disciplined defender.
"The decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision," general manager Billy King said in a statement, pointedly refuting suggestions that the signing is a publicity stunt. "We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract."
(Via NBA.com)
