Jason Collins, who made history as the NBA's first openly gay player, has died at the age of 47 after an eight-month battle with an aggressive brain tumor, his family announced Tuesday.
Collins spent 13 seasons in the NBA, playing for six different teams. He revealed he was gay in 2013, a landmark moment for professional sports and LGBTQ inclusion. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, a brain cancer with a very low survival rate.
"Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration," his family said in a statement released through the NBA.
Just last week, Collins was honored with the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit. Too ill to attend, his twin brother and former NBA player Jarron Collins accepted on his behalf, calling Jason "the bravest, strongest man I've ever known."
On the court, Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach two NBA Finals and posted his best season in 2004-05, averaging 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.