Jason Paul Collins, born on December 2, 1978, in Northridge, California, is a retired American professional basketball player renowned for his 13-season tenure as a center in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Standing at 7 feet tall and weighing 255 pounds, Collins carved out a niche as a defensive specialist and team leader, contributing to multiple playoff runs despite modest scoring numbers.
Beyond his on-court achievements, he made history in 2013 as the first active openly gay athlete in one of North America’s four major professional sports leagues, using his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion in sports.
Collins grew up in a close-knit family that emphasized education and athletics, and after retiring in 2014, he transitioned into roles as an NBA ambassador, public speaker, and community advocate.
Siblings
Jason has an identical twin brother, Jarron Collins, born just eight minutes after him on the same day in 1978.
The brothers’ lives have mirrored each other in remarkable ways, from dominating high school basketball together at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles to playing college ball at Stanford University and both entering the NBA in the 2001 draft, Jason selected 18th overall by the Houston Rockets and Jarron 46th by the Utah Jazz.
Jarron enjoyed a 10-year NBA career primarily with the Jazz, appearing in 503 games as a reliable big man off the bench, before retiring in 2011.
Today, Jarron serves as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans, staying deeply involved in the sport that defined their youth.
Career
Collins’ basketball journey began in earnest at Harvard-Westlake, where he and Jarron led the team to two California state titles and a stellar 123-10 record, with Jason shattering the state’s career rebounding mark at 1,500.
At Stanford, injuries limited his early play, but he exploded in his senior year of 2000-01, averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds en route to All-American honors.
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Drafted 18th overall in 2001, Collins was swiftly traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he debuted as a rookie and played a key role in their improbable run to the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The following season, he claimed the starting center spot, anchoring the defense during another Finals appearance, this time against the San Antonio Spurs.
Over eight years with the Nets, Collins became synonymous with gritty, fundamentals-driven play—excelling in post defense, screen-setting, and rebounding—while logging career averages of 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists across 735 games.
Traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008 amid a rebuilding phase, he bounced to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards, providing veteran stability wherever he landed.
In a poignant full-circle moment, Collins signed a 10-day contract with the relocated Brooklyn Nets in February 2014, becoming the first openly gay player to suit up in an NBA game during his final season, where he appeared in 22 contests before retiring that November.
Accolades
In high school, Collins earned two California Interscholastic Federation state championships and the state Division III Player of the Year honors in both 1996 and 1997.
At Stanford, his senior campaign yielded All-Pac-10 First Team selection, NABC Division I All-American Third Team recognition, the prestigious NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award, Parade All-American Fourth Team honors, and McDonald’s All-American status, cementing his status as one of the Cardinal’s all-time greats with school records in field-goal percentage (.608) and third in blocked shots (89).
In the NBA, Collins’ highlights include back-to-back Finals appearances with the Nets in 2002 and 2003, where his physicality helped propel the franchise to new heights.
Post-retirement, his trailblazing 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story announcing his sexuality sparked widespread change, leading to his 2013 induction as a founding member of the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame and the NBA’s inaugural participation in New York City’s Pride Parade.
His No. 98 jersey, chosen in tribute to Matthew Shepard, briefly became the league’s top seller after his coming out, and he has since received the Jason Collins Courage and Leadership Award annually from the Nets during Pride Night.
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