Jason Colls, first openly gay athlete to play NBA, mak U.S. sports history

first openly gay basketball player

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.

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

After a 13-year reer the NBA, Jason Colls, the first openly gay profsnal basketball player, is retirg. Eighteen months ago Colls me out as gay through a first person article published Sports Illtrated. In the first le he wrote, “I am a 34-year old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” He announced his plans to retire today, aga through first person, this time on The Players’ Tribune. * first openly gay basketball player *

On Febary 23, 2014, Brooklyn Nets center Jason Colls be the first openly gay athlete to play a game the Uned Stat’ four major profsnal leagu. The 35-year-old journeyman plays 10 srels mut, rerdg two rebounds and five fouls the Nets’ 108-102 victory over the Los Angel May 2013, Colls revealed he is gay a first-person say  Sports Illtrated.

JASON COLLS, FIRST OPENLY GAY NBA PLAYER, REFLECTS ON LEGACY, LIFE AFTER BASKETBALL

NBA center Jason Colls on Monday announced that he's gay a story for Sports Illtrated, beg the first active player one of the four major Amerin profsnal team sports to announce that he is gay. * first openly gay basketball player *

And I'm gay, " he wrote. "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playg a major Amerin team sport.

In 2021, Las Vegas Rairs fensive leman Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to announce he is gay. After a 13-year reer the NBA, Jason Colls, the first openly gay profsnal basketball player, is retirg. Eighteen months ago Colls me out as gay through a first person article published Sports Illtrated.

JASON COLLS SAYS HE'S GAY

* first openly gay basketball player *

And I’m gay. “The ironic thg about the dread “D” word is that I had never felt more fortable playg basketball than I was as an openly gay man, ” he wrote. Colls’ retirement means there will be no openly gay player currently playg any of the four major U.

Addrsg the lack of openly gay players, Colls wrote that we are not “there” yet when to acceptg openly gay players major league sports. He was the first openly gay active player the U.

THE ONLY 3 OUT, GAY NBA PLAYERS IN HISTORY

Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib publicly me out June 2021, makg him the first openly gay man to actively play the NFL. * first openly gay basketball player *

Jason Colls says he's news servicApr 29, 2013, 11:46 AM ETNBA center Jason Colls on Monday announced that he's gay a story for Sports Illtrated, beg the first active player one of the four major Amerin profsnal team sports to announce that he is gay. Me personally gay men the locked room would make me unfortable. As Amerins grow more acceptg of gay rights and same-sex marriage.

HERE ARE THE 6 GAY MEN WHO HAVE BEEN OUT PUBLICLY WHILE PETG PRO BASKETBALL

Last year, durg his re-electn mpaign, Print Barack Obama announced his support for gay after Colls disclosed his sexualy, Obama reached out by phone, exprsg his support and tellg Colls he was imprsed by his urage, the Whe Hoe Print Bill Clton, whose dghter Chelsea attend Stanford wh Colls, also appld Colls' announcement.

JASON COLLS, FIRST OPENLY GAY N.B.A. PLAYER, SIGNS WH NETS AND APPEARS GAME

"Jason's announcement today is an important moment for profsnal sports and the history of the LGBT [lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr] muny, " he said a statement. "He said the first relative he told he was gay was his nt Teri, who is a superr urt judge San Francis. He said she told him, "I've known you were gay for years, " which ma him "fortable my own sk.

"Colls said he realized he need to make his sexual orientatn public when his former roommate at Stanford, Massachetts ngrsman Joe Kennedy, who is straight, marched Boston's Gay Pri Para last Boston Marathon bombgs earlier this month then rerced to him "that I shouldn't wa for the circumstanc of my g out to be perfect.

FORMER NBA, KENTUCKY PLAYER ISAAC HUMPHRI OUT AS ONLY ACTIVE GAY PLAYER TOP-TIER MEN'S BASKETBALL

"When I told Joe a few weeks ago that I was gay, he was grateful that I tsted him. Colls says he quietly ma a statement for gay rights even while keepg his sexual orientatn a secret. 98 wh the Celtics and Wizards -- 1998 was the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay llege stunt Wyomg, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suici preventn anizatn, was found.

"When I was playg, I had never had nversatns around what meant to be gay. "Sayg 'I'm gay' sets a new standard of honty, openns and teamwork that will posively affect athlet and fans at every level of sports.

Today, we’re rewdg to 2007 and the story of the former pro athlete who beme the first NBA player to e out as gay: John Amaechi. John Amaechi, a former player wh the Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic, has bee the first NBA player to e out as gay. “I am simply dog what a good person of nscience would do, which is makg people aware that gay people don’t jt look like Jack om ‘Will and Grace, ’ and that they don’t want to jump your bon every ocsn and that some are mp and some are butch and that we’re different and we’re eful and we are here.

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

6 gay pro basketball players who have been out while petg - Outsports .

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