With the Words ‘I’m Gay,’ an N.B.A. Center Breaks a Barrier

In 12 seasons as an N.B.A. player, Jason Collins has never been an All-Star or a scoring leader or even a full-time starter, but on Monday he shattered one of the last great barriers in professional sports.
”I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m black and I’m gay,” Collins, who finished this season with the Washington Wizards, writes in the May 6 edition of Sports Illustrated. The magazine published the article online Monday morning.
With that statement, Collins became the first openly gay male athlete who is still active in a major American team sport. Other gay athletes, including the former N.B.A. center John Amaechi, have waited until retirement to divulge their sexuality publicly.