Jason Collins, umaming bading

Si Jason Collins ay free agent. Siya ay mahusay na center na mahusay ding dumipensa off of the bench bilang veteran.

Siya rin ang kauna-unahang atleta mula sa North American team sports na umaming bading.

Sa kanyang 12-year NBA career, ang journeyman center ay kilala na gumagawa ng kanyang mahalagang kontribusyon sa bawat laro niya bagama’t hindi ganoon kalaki ang kanyang mga numero.

 Mahusay niyang nadedepensahan ang mga big men. Kung hindi mo siya binabantayan, hindi mo siya mararamdaman.

Matapos ang kanyang pag-amin na lumabas sa Sports Illustrated, malaki ang naging impact nito sa sports.

“No one wants to live in fear. I’ve always been scared of saying the wrong thing. I don’t sleep well. I never have. But each time I tell another person, I feel stronger and sleep a little more soundly. It takes an enormous amount of energy to guard such a big secret. I’ve endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie. I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew. And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time. I still had the same sense of humor, I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back,” ayon sa quote ni Collins sa artikulo sa Sports Illustrated. “Loyalty to my team is the real reason I didn’t come out sooner. When I signed a free-agent contract with Boston last July, I decided to commit myself to the Celtics and not let my personal life become a distraction. When I was traded to the Wizards, the political significance of coming out sunk in. I was ready to open up to the press, but I had to wait until the season was over.”

Nakakuha naman ng suporta si Collins mula sa ibang NBA players sa pangunguna ni Kobe Bryant na nagpahayag ng kanilang paghanga sa kanya.