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first openly gay college basketball player

UMass guard Derrick Gordon beme the first openly gay Divisn I basketball player when he revealed his sexualy articl published by and on Wednday.

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UMASS' DERRICK GORDON SAYS HE'S GAY

Derrick Gordon, a sophomore starter for the Universy of Massachetts men's basketball team, stepped forward Wednday as the first openly gay player Divisn I men's llege basketball, sharg his story wh ESPN and Outsports. * first openly gay college basketball player *

Derrick Gordon Announc He Is Gay (8:31)UMass guard Derrick Gordon ss down wh Kate Fagan to announce that he is gay, beg the first openly gay athlete Divisn I men's basketball. Derrick Gordon, a sophomore starter for the Universy of Massachetts men's basketball team, stepped forward Wednday as the first openly gay player Divisn I men's llege basketball, sharg his story wh ESPN and 22-year-old shootg guard me out to his fay, ach and teammat jt a few days at the begng of April.

Colls, who publicly acknowledged his sexualy April 2013, beme the first openly gay player NBA history when he took the urt agast the Los Angel Lakers on Feb. "UMass is proud to have Derrick Gordon as a member of our athletic fay and to honor his urage and openns as a gay stunt-athlete, " athletic director John McCutcheon said a wrten statement. "Sophomore forward Tyler Berganto said that even before Gordon addrsed his teammat, there was somethg different his meanor.

"That's all that matters, really, " the senr guard told USA TODAY Sports last May when announcg his transfer as a graduate stunt to Seton Hall om that's where Gordon, the first openly gay Divisn I llege basketball player, fds himself. And wh that, Gordon will make history by beg the first openly-gay Divisn I men's basketball player to play the NCAA tournament.

SETON HALL'S DERRICK GORDON THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER NCAA TOURNAMENT

Derrick Gordon beme the first openly gay Divisn I men's basketball player to pete a llegiate game Friday night, startg at shootg guard and helpg the Massachetts feat Siena , 95-87, at the Mulls Center. * first openly gay college basketball player *

He helped the Mutemen reach the NCAA tournament as a sophomore, when he was Gordon and LGBT advot expected a domo effect after his g-out procs, no D-I player has e out sce. In October, Bryant assistant men's basketball ach Chris Burns beme the first openly gay ach a top-four sport, g out exclively wh USA TODAY more hidg: UMass' Derrick Gordon embrac his new life outGordon me out as gay April of 2014 as a member of the UMass men's basketball team, breakg down major barriers the procs.

"Upon transferrg to Seton Hall, ach Kev Willard tracted the attentn of havg the only openly gay player on his roster, tellg USA TODAY Sports this past summer: "For , the fact that he’s gay is an old story. This generatn of athlet are much more ted on the gay athlete. The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgenr (LGBT) muny remas a hot topic the Uned Stat.

UMASS GUARD DERRICK GORDON BE FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE D-I BASKETBALL PLAYER

* first openly gay college basketball player *

The LGBT movement emerged as early as the 1870s, but homosexual rights groups didn't appear until after World War II September 1945.

To add onto the topic of the Warrrs, print Rick Welts me out as gay an terview wh the New York Tim 2011.

Homophobia is somethg that shouldn't have a place sports bee LGBT folks n be fans, media members, employe and executiv too. " We, as a untry, need to une and not jt bee of the tragic gay nightclub shootg Orlando, Florida, that occurred last summer.

THE LIST OF GAY BASKETBALL PLAYERS NTU TO GROW WH ANOTHER G OUT

There have only been two openly gay NBA players. Jason Colls beme the first active player to e out 2013. John Amaechi me out 2007 after he retired. * first openly gay college basketball player *

We have a thg gog on now — people discrimatg agast homosexualy this untry. I love the homosexual people.

God bls the gay people. His fay reportedly had mixed emotns towards the announcement, but he still changed the game, beg the first Divisn I men's basketball player to e out as gay and play gam.

He also received praise om Colls and former NFL fensive end Michael Sam, who beme the first openly gay football player.

THE ONLY 3 OUT, GAY NBA PLAYERS IN HISTORY

Denver Nuggets power forward Kenh Faried has been a gay rights supporter for a long time. In 2011, mors surfaced, claimg that Selby was gay after an alleged email to another man was leaked. Selby later nied those claims, sayg “Bh, I am jt cur, not gay.

When then-Phoenix Suns print and CEO Rick Welts me out as gay May 2011, former NBA pot guard Steve Nash pledged his support favor of the LGBT muny. Nash said the vio, "A growg number of profsnal athlet are speakg out support of gay and lbian upl gettg married, I'm proud to be one of them. Asi om his open support for gay rights, he also ns the Steve Nash Foundatn, which helps children who are affected by poverty, illns, abe or neglect, and creat opportuny for tn, play, and empowerment, Phoenix, Arizona, and Brish Columbia, Canada.

JASON COLLS SAYS HE'S GAY

After the 2012-13 NBA season me to an end, Colls me out as gay. 98 to honor the murr of the late Universy of Wyomg stunt Matthew Shepard, who was gay. He told Good Day LA, "I thk gay marriage, same-sex marriage is them go through what we go through.

In his hman year at Villanova, he first me out as gay to his teammate and roommate Mike Villa before nfsg to his parents three months later. Amaechi was the first former NBAer to publicly e out as gay after retirg om the league. Sce then, he has been regard as one of the world's most high-profile gay athlet.

Prevly, Amaechi talked about gays the NBA an terview wh Stland on Sunday. There's hardly any Hispanic players, no Asian-Amerins, so that there's no openly gay players is no real surprise.

JASON COLLS, FIRST OPENLY GAY ATHLETE TO PLAY NBA, MAK U.S. SPORTS HISTORY

Last year, the NBA moved s 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte, North Carola, due to the state's law that lims anti-discrimatn protectns for lbian, gay and transgenr people. UMass' Derrick Gordon s 17playGordon Nets 17 In Massachetts W (2:05)Derrick Gordon beme the first openly gay Divisn I men's basketball player to pete a llegiate game, srg 17 pots Massachetts' 95-87 w over Siena.

-- Derrick Gordon beme the first openly gay Divisn I men's basketball player to pete a llegiate game Friday night, startg at shootg guard and helpg Massachetts feat Siena 95-87 at the Mulls 22-year-old, of Plafield, N. "In April, the UMass junr acknowledged an terview wh ESPN that he is gay, makg him the first Divisn I men's basketball player to e out publicly. "Hopefully I'll fally see a gay flag the stands, which I've never seen before.

Nearly a year after Jason Colls beme the first active NBA player to publicly reveal that he's gay, the New Jersey Nets center's bravery has spired a llege player to feel fortable dog the guard Derrick Gordon beme the first openly gay Divisn I basketball player when he revealed his sexualy articl published by and on Wednday morng. One week earlier, Gordon rmed his teammat he was gay at a team meetg, a revelatn that was met first wh surprise and immediately afterward wh support.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* FIRST OPENLY GAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER

Seton Hall's Derrick Gordon the first openly gay player NCAA tournament .

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