Opinion | The truth has set Collins free
NBA player's confession to being gay is a personal triumph but it remains to be seen if others will be brave enough to follow suit
As far as seminal moments in sports go, this is near the top. "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport," Jason Collins wrote in a Sports Illustrated cover story this week. "But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation."
Collins has played 14 seasons in the NBA for six teams. He has never averaged more than six points a game in a career that could best be described as serviceable. You could well be a huge NBA fan and never have heard of him. Until now. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of gay rights, and it is one of the most contentious issues in the US, you have to admire his courage.
You also have to understand that Collins was the perfect candidate to break the gay barrier. He is not an up-and-coming bench warmer fighting for a job. He is a career bench warmer who has long ago qualified for a very tidy NBA pension. He is also a Stanford graduate who is both insightful and articulate and has been lauded at every stop in the NBA for his enduring professionalism.
Collins clearly understands the ramifications of being a pioneer. "I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different'," he wrote. "If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand."
Reaction has been generally positive and somewhat overwhelming. US President Barack Obama called to congratulate him on his courage and former president Bill Clinton offered kind words, while fellow players Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash tweeted their support as well.
But things are not all hunky dory in the land of enlightenment. Former WNBA player Carolyn Moos was in an eight-year relationship and engaged to Collins before they split in 2009. Needless to say, she was more than a bit shocked. And because so many athletes openly profess their faith in God, it was inevitable there would be a backlash. ESPN NBA reporter Chris Broussard said on a panel show that Collins' choice was "a sin and an open rebellion to God". Golfer Bubba Watson tweeted his support for Broussard.