Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in the NBA, announced his plans to retire from the league on Wednesday.
The announcement comes 18 months after Collins made history when he came out in a Sports Illustrated article, becoming the first openly gay man in any of the four major professional team sports in the U.S.
In an article written for Sports Illustrated, Collins said he planned to announce his retirement during the Nets' Wednesday night home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The timing is especially meaningful for Collins because Bucks coach Jason Kidd is former teammate of Collins' and was his coach in Brooklyn. Collins referenced a tweet that Kidd sent in April following his announcement.
Jason's sexuality doesn't change the fact that he is a great friend and was a great teammate. @jasoncollins34— Jason Kidd (@RealJasonKidd) April 29, 2013
"Considering all the speculation about problems I might face within the locker room, Jason’s support was significant," Collins wrote. "It had been argued that no team would want to take on a player who was likely to attract a media circus from the outset and whose sexuality would be a distraction."
On Wednesday, Collins also published an extensive firsthand account of his time in the NBA to The Players' Tribune which details how basketball "saved" him.
Thanks @PlayersTribune for giving me a platform to share this essay about my journey to retirement & future plans. http://t.co/OmxjFX7wuJ— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) November 19, 2014
"Everybody wanted to know what it’s like to play in a game as an openly gay man in the NBA," wrote Collins. "From the moment I stepped onto the court to the moment the final buzzer sounded—it was the same as my previous 12 years."
.@jasoncollins98 to retire, serve as #NBACares Ambassador (via @SInow) http://t.co/tg2hNORs3q pic.twitter.com/lE9Y2Ygygc— NBA Cares (@nbacares) November 19, 2014
For some, Collins' retirement comes as no surprise after thirteen seasons in the NBA. In February 2014, he was signed by the Brooklyn Nets after consecutive 10-day contracts with the team. He played just 22 games for the Nets last season and was not on any NBA roster this season.
Collins seems ready for life after basketball.