For the first time in history of the four major sports leagues across the pond，an active player has come out and declared he is a gay athlete. 34-year-old Jason Collins, announced to the world in a first-person article in Sports Illustrated his homosexuality saying that after year’s of hiding it, he is now comfortable enough to tell the sports world he is a gay man.
The magazine article highlights how tough it was to keep his secret for so long, and that he now feels as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. Collins has played for six teams in 12 seasons, and most recently played with the Washington Wizards after a mid-season trade from the Boston Celtics. The Center is now a free agent and wants to keep playing in the NBA. The reaction from the NBA, and across the US has been positive over his courageous decision to come out.