The Announcement

I have been watching NBA basketball for as long as I can remember.  During those years, I can scarcely remember a non-basketball related announcement from an NBA player that received the level of press coverage that Mr. Collins has received.  One announcement comes to mind, and that is Magic Johnson's announcement that he had contracted the HIV virus in the early 1990s.  Besides the obvious substantive differences in their announcements, there is another glaring difference.  Magic Johnson was a legitimate super star at or near the top of his superstardom.  Jason Collins, on the other hand, is a 12-year NBA veteran who has never been an all-star, or led the league in any statistical category.  In fact, if you are not an avid NBA fan, you probably had never heard his name mentioned before April 29, 2013.

On Monday, April 29, 2013, he became the first active male in major team sports to come out as openly gay.  He made the announcement in an article published in Sport Illustrated.  The article is well written and reveals that Mr. Collins is a pragmatic, articulate, and intelligent person.    

I am not surprised Collins decided to make this announcement.  The world we live in today is much more accepting of differences in opinion, religion, and sexual orientation than it was 20 years ago.  As a result, I think, people are becoming more and more comfortable with expressing their lifestyles to the public-at-large.  Former professional basketball player, Cheryl Swoopes, and most recently, collegiate star, Britney Griner, have revealed their sexual orientation.  I do not recall the media covering either announcement with the interest that Mr. Collins' announcement has received.  

The truth is, there are many other people in professional sports that will make similar announcements in the near future.  The public reaction from Mr. Collins' fellow NBA players has been positive and supportive.  Honestly, it is difficult to discern whether these remarks are made out of respect for Mr. Collins' announcement, or for some other disingenuous reason.  Only time will tell.

Peace