Jason Collins signs deal to become first openly-gay, active NBA player
Openly gay basketball star Jason Collins on Sunday evening signed a deal to officially become the first openly-gay active player in the NBA.
Collins, who came out as gay last April, signed a 10-day deal earlier this evening with the Brooklyn Nets.
The 35-year-old most recently played for the Washington Wizards in the 2012-13 season.
The Brooklyn Nets just tweeted to confirm the deal, followed by a photograph of Collins signing his contract.
RT to welcome @jasoncollins34 to Brooklyn! #Nets pic.twitter.com/D05R9td9cx
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 23, 2014
With this deal, Collins becomes the first active, openly-gay player in one of the four major league professional sports in the US.
In an April 2013 interview with Sports Illustrated, Collins said: “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”