Jason Collinsthe retired NBA center who became a pioneering figure in professional sports, died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 47 after suffering from stage IV glioblastoma. Collins first shared his brain cancer diagnosis in December 2025, revealing that he had undergone surgery and was receiving treatment after doctors discovered a tumor earlier that year.
Although he spent more than a decade in the NBA playing for teams including the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards, Collins became more widely known in 2013 when he publicly came out as gay while still an active player. Following news of his death, tributes from across the NBA and LGBTQ+ communities highlighted his basketball career and the impact he made outside of the game.
Learn more about Collins’ cause of death and health battle.
Who was Jason Collins?
Collins was a former NBA player who played 13 seasons in the league for teams including the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards.
In 2013, he became the first openly gay active player in a major men’s professional sports league in North America after coming out publicly in Sports Illustrated Cover story. Collins later served as an ambassador for NBA Cares and remains an influential figure in both the sport and the LGBTQ+ communities.
After Collins’ death, NBA commissioner Adam Silver Reflects on the athlete’s legacy in a statement. “His impact and impact has extended far beyond basketball, helping to make the NBA, WNBA and the greater sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” Silver said. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that marked his life and touched so many others.”
What is the cause of Jason Collins’ death?
Collins died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 47 after battling stage IV glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
He publicly revealed his diagnosis in December 2025, sharing details about the severity of the disease and the treatments he was undergoing. “The biopsy revealed that my glioma had a growth factor of 30%, which means that within weeks, if nothing is done, the tumor will run out of space and I will likely die within six weeks to three months,” Collins said in an article for ESPN. Ramona Shelburne at that time.
Collins also talked about pursuing multiple forms of treatment, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and experimental immunotherapy. “We will try to hit it first, in ways it has not been hit before: through radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, which is still being studied,” he explained.
According to Collins, the standard chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ) did not work because of the genetic makeup of the tumor. He later traveled to Singapore to receive targeted chemotherapy while doctors worked to develop a personalized immunotherapy plan.
Was Jason Collins married?
Yes. Collins was married to a film producer Bronson Green. The couple tied the knot in May 2025 in Austin, Texas, after being together for more than a decade. Before coming out publicly, Collins was previously engaged to the former WNBA player Caroline MossAlthough the duo ended their engagement in 2009.
