Jason Collins Talks About Being The First Gay NBA Player

Jason Collins Talks About Being The First Gay NBA Player

Jason Collins says he is as happy as he ever was after becoming the first openly gay athlete in all the four professional leagues in the United States.

He disclosed this information in an interview with Sports Illustrated that was released this Monday. The news started a whirlwind of reactions, not all positive.

Collins got a staggering amount of support from other athletes and celebrities, even President Barack Obama called to give his congratulations.

While appearing on a morning show, Collins said a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders and that he was already out to his family and close friends.

The former Celtics and Washington Wizards player didn’t just receive support. Some people, like Hines Ward, a former NFL player turned sports commentator said that the National Football League just isn't ready for openly gay players. He argued that the testosterone filled locker room is filled with “guys” and “guys play around too much”.

Collins’ coming out broke, in many eyes, the last frontier of professional sports. Some people argue, however, that Jason Collins’ gay announcement was made easier by the fact that he isn't a star player, and he isn't in his prime, more likely being close to retiring.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Thursday May 02 2013, 4:00 AM EST. Ref: ChicagoTribune. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0