In Memoriam: Notable people who died in 2026
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Jason Collins was the first openly gay basketball player in the NBA. After coming out to Sports Illustrated in an interview in April 2013, he became a longstanding ambassador for inclusion in the sport. He spent most of his career with the Nets, but also played for Atlanta, Boston, Memphis, Minnesota and Washington for the 13 years he was a player in the league. Collins helped the Nets reach two NBA Finals. Collins passed away after a battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 47.
