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

1st gay nba player

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.

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THE NBA HAS AN OPENLY GAY PLAYER: WHAT CHANG?

NBA center Jason Colls announced that he is gay Sports Illtrated and ma history as the first active male pro athlete to e out. Kobe Bryant and even the print chimed wh support. NPR's Neal Conan reads om a variety of opns on the signifince of this moment. * 1st gay nba player *

I'm black, and I'm gay. And, you know, for - I thk a lot of young people out there who, you know, are, you know, gay or lbian who are stgglg wh the issu; to see a role mol like that who's unaaid, I thk 's a great So athlet, ach, we want to hear om you. Today, almost all topics are evolvg around the g out of the gay NBA player.

In 2011, Charl Barkley, a man known for his mon sense but never for his tact, said plaly, he was sure that every player has played wh gay guys; and went on: It bothers me when I hear the reporters and jocks get on TV and say oh, no guy n e out as a team sport.

THREAD: NBA HOTON ROCKETS PLAYER JALEN GREEN PATS HIS NAILS( 1ST GAY NBA PLAYER)?

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. * 1st gay nba player *

I'd rather have a gay guy who n play than a straight guy who n't 's get a ller .

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

Kev Maxen, Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach, is the first male ach a major U.S. men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. * 1st gay nba player *

And I've had been on a llegiate swim team wh gay men, several gay men. We bond outsi of the sport, and I jt - I was close to the people, but them beg gay no way changed the sport or my opn of them.

And I thk if perceptn of the few change, then that reflects more on the public perceptn of somebody beg gay than Jason Colls.

JASON COLLS SAYS HE'S GAY

And though I n't actually say that - bee this is back high school, and I don't know if any of my teammat were gay. But even if they had been - and I hope this is a feelg that is g up the younger generatn - that beg gay or straight really don't matter to who you are as a person. If he's a good player, I want to play wh him, and I want to learn om him - gay or As you probably know better than I, though, for example the European soccer leagu, there's a lot of homophobia.

JAGUARS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN IS FIRST MALE NFL ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

There are homophobic chants that are popular among some of the crowds I don't unrstand that at all.

There was Chris Brosard, the NBA analyst on ESPN, on an edn of "Outsi the L, " where he scribed homosexualy as an open rebelln to God.

JAGS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE NFL COACH TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY

Brosard said that durg a segment, also clud gay ESPN lumnist Liz - LZ Granrson rather. And if you're livg openly unrepentant s, whatever may be, not jt homosexualy, adultery, fornitn, pre-maral sex between homosexuals, whatever may be, I believe that's walkg open rebelln to God and to J Christ.

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

And I'm really glad to e this as a teachg opportuny to be like, look, you n be gay and do anythg you want. So much of the stereotyp that they see of gay men are, you know, the effemate stereotype.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* 1ST GAY NBA PLAYER

Jason Colls first openly gay active player - ESPN .

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