When the Sacramento Kings host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the organization will also be hosting Equality Night at Golden 1 Center. To commemorate the festivities, they’ll have a very special guest in attendance.
Jason Collins made headlines by coming out in a self-penned article published in Sports Illustrated at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season. His decision to open up about his sexuality made him the first active gay athlete in the four major North American sports. Since then, Collins has been the face of LGBTQ advancement in athletics, especially within the NBA.
Collins, a former Association stalwart for 13 seasons, spoke to Kings.com and expressed how honored he is to be on hand for the special evening.
“Being a California Kid, it’s my first time to see the new arena,” Collins said in a phone interview. “And then obviously, the cause - it’s a great cause and a great event. So there are a lot of factors that go into it and of course I said yes.”
Collins is well aware of the Kings efforts to be a leading organization in the NBA when it comes to social equality. He praised the franchise for being a team that has been encouraging inclusiveness across the Sacramento community.
“(They’re) really increasing the fan experience for all fans to feel welcomed to be their authentic selves while cheering on their Sacramento Kings,” Collins said.
The former NBA veteran also reflected at length about his decision to come out, pointing to a number of factors for his choice. Prior to the article’s publication, he had already started to privately tell friends and family about his sexual orientation. When he was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2013, moving to the nation’s capital at a very critical time in LGBTQ history inspired him to finally take a stand.
“I was living about two, three miles from the Supreme Court,” Collins said. “At that time, there were two major courses being argued in the Supreme Court - there was DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) and Prop. 8. And I stayed silent during that time.
“It really killed me to stay silent when there were these two huge court cases,” he added. “And here I was, a professional athlete living less than three miles from the Supreme Court and I stayed silent so that was sort of the last straw for me.”
As the first active-playing athlete to come out, there was no benchmark for the reactions people would have. But upon receiving an “overwhelmingly positive” reception from colleagues around the League, he felt reassured about his decision.
“I woke up very early that Monday morning (before the article was published) and made a lot of calls to a lot of my coaches,” Collins said. “And then also over the weekend, I had already started to let some of my former teammates know. So it was just overwhelmingly positive, all the support that I received, and continue to receive.”
His experience has served as inspiration to others. Among the numerous people whose lives he has impacted, Collins shared a story of the effect he had on Ryan Haden, the son of former USC Athletic Director Pat Haden:
A few weeks after I came out, I was able to meet with Ryan and develop a friendship. He said part of the reason he came out was because of me coming out. Recently over the summer, Ryan got married to his husband. At the wedding reception, the couple was thanking all their family and their friends, and then Ryan went out of his way (to recognize me) and I wasn’t expecting it. And it was really special that he acknowledged (me)... because of what I did inspired him to come out. And ultimately, he was able to find the love of his life.
It’s not just Haden’s life he has impacted. Today, Collins continues to work with the NBA. And drawing from his own personal experiences as a professional, he gives advice to young players on how to make the most of their opportunity.
“You’ve got to ask questions from the veterans,” said Collins, who credited former teammates like Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo for teaching him the values of work ethic and trust. “Learn from people that came before you. Obviously, know your sport, know your craft, but learn and see what it takes to last long in the NBA, to be successful in the NBA.”
In addition to spending time with this current generation of pro players, Collins is also working as an ambassador with NBA Cares. A large part of his role involves advancing inclusion and support for the LGBTQ Community.
“I’ve been able to go around the world and spread a message of inclusion and encouraging people to live their authentic life,” the former NBA center said.
Collins revealed that living an “authentic life” can be had by finding a support group. For the California native, he recalled his own situation of coming out to friends and family, noting that it was initially an uncomfortable experience. But with time, his decision to be open made him feel more at ease with his identity.
“It felt great not to have that mask and not worry (thinking) ‘Okay don’t say this. Don’t say that’,” Collins said “And just be my true self and learn what that means. So it is beautiful when you live your authentic life and be your true self.”
When he looks back at his journey to where he is today, Collins would offer his younger self a poignant piece of advice.
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself,” he said.
Encouraging words that will certainly be celebrated Tuesday night.
Next Up
