Photo: Keith Allison / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Jason Collins

ジェイソン・コリンズ　/　じぇいそん・こりんず

American basketball player

December 2, 1978 (age 47)　・　Los Angeles, California, United States

California
basketball player

My Take

With Jason Collins, the stat line, thirteen NBA seasons as a seven-foot center, is the least interesting thing about him to me. What I respect is the courage. Becoming the first active player in a major US sport to come out publicly was a gamble with his livelihood, and he made it anyway. He was a Stanford man who did the unglamorous defensive work that keeps teams honest, and that humility carried into how he carved a path for others, recognized by honors like VH1's Trailblazer award. His passing in 2026 hit hard, because his real legacy plays out far beyond any arena. That, to me, is a life well lived.

Overview

Jason Paul Collins (December 2, 1978 – May 12, 2026) was an American professional basketball player who was a center for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal, earning third-team All-American honors in 2001. Collins was selected by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft with the 18th overall pick.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Profile

Name (English): Jason Collins
Name (Japanese): ジェイソン・コリンズ
Reading: じぇいそん・こりんず
Born: December 2, 1978 (age 47)
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Sagittarius / Horse
Origin: Los Angeles, California, United States
Blood type: Private
Height: 213 cm
Agency: Private
Occupation: basketball player

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: Stanford University

Awards & achievements

2017 VH1 Trailblazer Honors

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

4. Personality

Motto

Private

6. Links

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