Former NBA player Jason Collins has revealed he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, during an interview with ESPN. Collins, 47, became the first openly gay active player in a major men’s North American sports league when he came out in 2013. His diagnosis comes months after his family announced he was dealing with a brain tumour, though they offered no further details at the time, asking instead for “support and prayers.” He explained that the initial statement was deliberately vague as his family sought to protect his privacy while he was “mentally unable to speak for myself.” Collins said he first noticed symptoms during the summer but tried to push through them.
Matters worsened in August when he found himself unable to concentrate well enough to pack for a planned trip to the US Open with his husband.
A subsequent CT scan confirmed he had Stage 4 glioblastoma. Collins told ESPN that the tumour cannot be safely removed given its location and shape, saying that surgery risked leaving him “different.”
He said the prognosis for an inoperable tumour is bleak. “Because my tumor is unresectable, going solely with the ‘standard of care’ – radiation and TMZ – the average prognosis is only 11 to 14 months,” he said. “If that’s all the time I have left, I’d rather spend it trying a course of treatment that might one day be a new standard of care for everyone.”
Collins said he intends to pursue experimental treatments and is willing to travel anywhere in the world to do so, noting that his NBA career means he does not face financial barriers to accessing care.
He drew a parallel between his current situation and his decision to come out in 2013. “After I came out, someone I really respect told me that my choice to live openly could help someone who I might never meet,” he said. “I’ve held onto that for years. And if I can do that again now, then that matters.”
Collins was selected 18th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2001 NBA Draft before being traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he spent much of his 13-season career. He played for six franchises in total and returned to the Nets during his final NBA season in 2013-14, appearing in 22 games and averaging 7.8 minutes. He retired at the end of that season.