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'''Jason Paul Collins''' (born December 2, 1978) is a retired [[Americans|American]] [[basketball]] player. He was a center for the [[Brooklyn Nets]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA).

'''Jason Paul Collins''' (born December 2, 1978) is a retired [[Americans|American]] [[basketball]] player. He was a center for the [[Brooklyn Nets]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA).

 

== College ==

==College==

Collins played [[college basketball]] for [[Stanford University]] and was named to the All-Pac-10 first team in 2001.

Collins played [[college basketball]] for [[Stanford University]] and was named to the All-Pac-10 first team in 2001.

 

== NBA career ==

==NBA career==

He was drafted by the [[New Jersey Nets]] with the 18th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

He was drafted by the [[New Jersey Nets]] with the 18th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

He helped the Nets reach the NBA finals in 2001 but they were swept by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]. He played 7 seasons with the Nets and he was traded with cash considerations to the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] for Stromile Swift.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/Grizzlies_acquire_center_Jason-256121-1978.html|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Grizzlies acquire center Jason Collins from Nets|publisher=Memphis Grizzlies}}</ref> He played 31 games for the Grizzlies and then he was traded to the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] in an eight-player deal involving [[Kevin Love]] and [[O. J. Mayo]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Love-Mayo-080627|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Timberwolves make out on Mayo-Love swap|publisher=sports.espn.go.com}}</ref> When his contract expired at the end of the 2008–09 NBA season, the Timberwolves didn't re-sign him and he signed with the Atlanta Hawks on September 2, 2009.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4441457|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Free agent Jason Collins joins Hawks|publisher=sports.espn.go.com}}</ref> He played 3 seasons with the Hawks and signed an undisclosed deal with the Boston Celtics.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/press_release/073112-celtics-sign-jason-collins.html|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Celtics Sign Jason Collins|publisher=Boston Celtics}}</ref> He was traded by the Celtics to the [[Washington Wizards]] on February 21, 2013 for [[Jordan Crawford]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.nba.com/wizards/wizards-acquire-collins-and-barbosa-boston|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Wizards Acquire Collins and Barbosa From Boston|publisher=Washington Wizards}}</ref>

He helped the Nets reach the NBA finals in 2001 but they were swept by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]. He played 7 seasons with the Nets and he was traded with cash considerations to the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] for Stromile Swift.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/Grizzlies_acquire_center_Jason-256121-1978.html|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Grizzlies acquire center Jason Collins from Nets|publisher=Memphis Grizzlies}}</ref> He played 31 games for the Grizzlies and then he was traded to the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] in an eight-player deal involving [[Kevin Love]] and [[O. J. Mayo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Love-Mayo-080627|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Timberwolves make out on Mayo-Love swap|publisher=sports.espn.go.com}}</ref> When his contract expired at the end of the 2008–09 NBA season, the Timberwolves didn't re-sign him and he signed with the Atlanta Hawks on September 2, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4441457|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Free agent Jason Collins joins Hawks|publisher=sports.espn.go.com}}</ref> He played 3 seasons with the Hawks and signed an undisclosed deal with the Boston Celtics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/press_release/073112-celtics-sign-jason-collins.html|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Celtics Sign Jason Collins|publisher=Boston Celtics}}</ref> He was traded by the Celtics to the [[Washington Wizards]] on February 21, 2013 for [[Jordan Crawford]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/wizards/wizards-acquire-collins-and-barbosa-boston|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Wizards Acquire Collins and Barbosa From Boston|publisher=Washington Wizards}}</ref>

His twin brother [[Jarron Collins]] also played in the NBA. On April 29, 2013, Collins wrote the cover story of [[Sports Illustrated]] in which he publicly come out as [[gay]].<ref name="SI">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/|accessdate=2013-04-29|title=Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now|publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]]|archive-date=2013-05-01|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6GHMbhb2z?url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He became the first active male professional athlete in any of the four major North American pro sports leagues to come out.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|title=NBA player Jason Collins comes out as gay|date=April 29, 2013|work=bbc.co.uk|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22341153|accessdate=April 29, 2013}}</ref> He said that he chose the jersey number 98 in honor of [[Matthew Shepard]], a victim of a gay [[hate crime]] in 1998. Collins said that the number was "a statement to myself, my family and my friends".<ref name="SI" />

==Personal==

== Jason Collins Media ==

His twin brother [[Jarron Collins]] also played in the NBA. On April 29, 2013, Collins wrote the cover story of [[Sports Illustrated]] in which he publicly come out as [[gay]].<ref name="SI">{{citeweb|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/|accessdate=2013-04-29|title= Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now|publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> He became the first active male professional athlete in any of the four major North American pro sports leagues to come out.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|title=NBA player Jason Collins comes out as gay|date=April 29, 2013|work=bbc.co.uk|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22341153|accessdate=April 29, 2013}}</ref> He said that he chose the jersey number 98 in honor of [[Matthew Shepard]], a victim of a gay [[hate crime]] in 1998. Collins said that the number was "a statement to myself, my family and my friends".<ref name="SI" />

<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>

File:Greg Monroe Jared Sullinger.jpg|Collins (right) and Celtics' teammate [[Jared Sullinger]] (left) defend Detroit's [[Greg Monroe]]

==References==

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

 

== Other websites ==

==Other websites==

*[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jason_collins Jason Collins] at NBA.com

*[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jason_collins Jason Collins] at NBA.com

[[Category:Minnesota Timberwolves players]]

[[Category:Minnesota Timberwolves players]]

[[Category:New Jersey Nets players]]

[[Category:New Jersey Nets players]]

[[Category:Sportspeople from Los Angeles, California]]

[[Category:Sportspeople from Los Angeles]]

[[Category:Washington Wizards players]]

[[Category:Washington Wizards players]]

[[Category:American basketball players]]

[[Category:American basketball players]]