ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Former Hawks player Jason Collins has died at 47, his family said.
Collins revealed in September that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. In December, he said he had been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma.
Collins announced he was gay in 2013, becoming the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the four main North American sports leagues.
FILE – Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins looks on against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter an NBA basketball game in Denver on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired from afar,” his family said in a statement. “Our family will miss him dearly.”
He played for the Hawks from 2009 to 2012, appearing in 133 games. Collins also played for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and back to the Nets after they moved to Brooklyn.
He averaged 1.5 points per game and 1.6 rebounds per game for the Hawks.
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