It’s a big deal in the world of sports- especially male sports for an ACTIVE player to come out of the closet. Jason Collins is the first openly-gay man to play for the NBA. Using the May 6th issue of Sports Illustrated as his sounding board, Collins says he didn’t set out to be the first. He says that the 2011 NBA lockout gave him time to do self-reflection.
Collins attended Stanford University, where he was an All-American in 2000-2001 season. He has been a league veteran for over 12 seasons and was the 18th pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft.
NBA Commissioner David Stern said “Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.”
There have been several male athletes that have come out after they retired, but this is the first active player to do so.
The Sports Gal Pal 
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