Jason Collins diagnosed with grade IV glioblastoma! Former NBA player and first openly gay athlete, married this June

On December 12th, Beijing time, former NBA player Jason Collins revealed in an ESPN interview that he is currently being treated for grade IV glioblastoma. This type of brain cancer is among the most malignant. Collins’ NBA career spanned 13 years during which he played for six teams. He made history in 2013 as the first active NBA player to come out as gay.

In September this year, Collins’ family announced his brain tumor diagnosis but did not disclose further details. In the recent interview, Collins explained that his family respected his wishes and waited until he was ready to share the news publicly. He revealed that symptoms began this summer, and by August, he was struggling even to pack for the US Open. A subsequent CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of grade IV glioblastoma.

“My family told me that within just a few hours, I lost all clarity of thought, short-term memory, and comprehension—basically turning into the NBA player version of Dory from ‘Finding Nemo,’” Collins said. “Over the following weeks, we slowly understood how serious the condition really was.” His tumor is located in a spot that makes safe surgical removal impossible. He is currently undergoing radiation therapy and taking a drug called Avastin to inhibit tumor growth.

“Because my tumor can’t be surgically removed, relying solely on the ‘standard treatment’—radiation combined with temozolomide—means an average survival expectancy of only 11 to 14 months,” Collins stated. “If that’s all the time I have left, I’d rather spend it trying a new therapy that might one day become the standard treatment for everyone.”

Collins expressed his intention to face this diagnosis with the same mindset he had when he came out—handling it at his own pace and in his own way.

“I wasn’t worried about the news leaking before the interview was published because I trust everyone involved,” Collins said. “Guess what? Not a single detail was leaked. I was able to tell my story in the way I wanted. And now I can honestly say the past 12 years have been the best of my life. When you dare to be your true self both publicly and privately without fear, life becomes much richer. This is who I am, and this is what I’m facing.”

Collins was the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft and officially retired in 2014. His final season was with the Brooklyn Nets—the team he spent the most time with during his career. He also played for the Hawks, Celtics, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, and Wizards.

Throughout his career, Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. His best season came in 2004-05 with the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

In the interview, the 47-year-old former player recalled a frightening fall he had at his home in Los Angeles one week before his diagnosis. At that moment, he resolved not to let anyone find him like that.

“Lying on the floor, I had only one thought: ‘You’re not going to be found like this. I don’t want to die on a toilet like Elvis,’” Collins said. “Even if things got worse, I refused to be seen like that. I had to find a way out of that situation. As long as I stayed calm, I knew I could figure out how to get back up.”

NBC Sports reporter Kurt Helin noted that although Collins’ career stats were modest, his professionalism and consistent defensive play were widely respected. In June this year, Collins married his longtime partner, film producer Breyton Green.