Summary (tl;dr)

Former NBA player Jason Collins, renowned as the first openly gay athlete in major American team sports, has publicly announced he is battling Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. This revelation follows an earlier statement from his family in September 2025 about his brain tumor diagnosis.

Essential Background

Jason Collins made history in 2013 by becoming the first active male athlete in a major American professional sports league to come out as gay. After his impactful announcement and a career spanning 13 seasons with six NBA teams, including the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards, he retired in 2014. Since then, Collins has remained an NBA ambassador and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In September 2025, his family released a brief, vague statement indicating he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.

The Full Story

On December 11, 2025, Jason Collins revealed in an exclusive essay for ESPN that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. He detailed the rapid onset of symptoms, including issues with mental clarity and short-term memory, which began in August 2025. Collins recounted how a CT scan at UCLA quickly led to a specialist referral due to concerning initial images. He also shared that he married his partner, Brunson Green, in May 2025 in Austin, Texas. Collins is currently undergoing intensive treatment, including an experimental chemotherapy treatment in Singapore, and has expressed his determination to fight the aggressive disease.

Why It Matters

The news of Jason Collins's battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma is drawing widespread attention due to his prominent status as a barrier-breaking athlete and his ongoing role as an advocate. His public sharing of this challenging health journey highlights the severity of glioblastoma and brings visibility to a devastating illness. It also reinforces his persona as a fighter, resonating with those who admired his courage in coming out as the first openly gay NBA player. The public outpouring of support underscores the impact he has had both on and off the court.

Geographic Location

• Austin, Travis County, Texas, United States (marriage ceremony)
• Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States (initial diagnosis and CT scan at UCLA)
• Singapore (undergoing experimental cancer treatment)