Jason Collins

Quick Facts

Full Name Jason Paul Collins
Date of Birth December 2, 1978
Birth Place Los Angeles, California
Nick Name Dr. Dunk
Religion Christianity 
Nationality American
Ethnicity Afro-American
Zodiac Sign Sagittarius
Age 43 years old
Height 7 feet (2.13 m)
Weight 255 lb (116 kg)
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Black
Build Athletic
Father’s Name Paul Collins
Mother’s Name Portia Collins
Siblings A twin brother, Jarron Collins
Education Harvard-Westlake
(Los Angeles, California)
Stanford (1997–2001)
Marital Status Unmarried
Fiance Brunson Green
Profession Former basketball player
Profession Former sprinter
Position Center
Affiliations Naw Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets
Retirement Date November 19, 2014
Active Years 2001–2014
Net Worth $16 million
Social Media Instagram, Twitter
Merch Signed Framed, Adidas Jersey
Last Update July, 2022

We are talking about a thirteen-year NBA veteran, a man of unique thoughts, Jason Collins. Being a widely received athlete, Jason only gained much attention after publicly appearing gay.

Indeed, as he had always said, a moment of truth can instantly turn your world.

Jason Collins stands as the second openly gay athlete to play in any major professional sports leagues in the United States & Canada.

Well, today, Collins is one of the most influential athletes.

Jason has played for the teams; the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, and Brooklyn Nets.

Here are some quick facts about him before getting into details about the basketball player’s life and career.

Jason Collins | Body Dimensions

Collins, who stands 6-1112, is a strong man. When he stated that he wanted 7 feet, he was listed at 7 feet 0 inches (2.13 meters).

Jason’s weight is 255 pounds (116 kg). He has chocolate-colored skin and a square-shaped face. In the meantime, he has black hair and blue eyes. His hair is still quite thin.

Jason Collins has always been taller than his age, which is a fun fact. He was taller than any other kid his age, even as a third-grader.

He was 5 feet 7 inches tall when he was in fourth grade and 6 feet 6 inches tall when he was in eighth grade.

Of course, Jon was teased about his height, but he eventually grew to appreciate it and discovered basketball. He had also outgrown his shoe size by the age of seventeen.

Food Preferences

Jason Collins ate almost everything as a child. When he was younger, he would frequently have grits and eggs with bacon, sausage, or ham for breakfast.

Similarly, lunch would typically consist of sandwiches, chips, fruits, and juice. Finally, the meal would include chicken, greens, mac ‘n cheese, cornbread, and so on.

Returning to the present, Collins is very conscious of what he eats. He doesn’t allow himself to eat desserts during games.

Jason’s favorite foods, as he revealed, include all Japanese foods, particularly sushi. He also eats sushi two to three times per week.

Exercise Routine

Jason Collins can burn more calories than other shorter people because of his exceptional height. In terms of his workout routine, he doesn’t take it easy on himself and keeps an intense schedule.

CrossFit exercises, cardio, and treadmill running were some of the areas he concentrated on more. He needed to be in shape for the game, so he did a lot of conditioning and strength training.

Furthermore, his pre-game warmup routine included more than just jogging and stretching. He would, in fact, perform detailed abdominal exercises.

Similarly, his regular exercises included a variety of core exercises. Overall, he frequently concluded his training with yoga.

Jason Collins | Childhood

Collins (full name Jason Paul Collins) was born on December 2, 1978, under the sign of Sagittarius. He was born in Los Angeles, California to Portia Collins and Paul Collins.

He is also Jarron Collins’s older twin brother, having been born eight minutes before him.

Jason describes his childhood in the Northridge neighborhood as safe. Not to mention that he grew up surrounded by arts and culture.

Jarron Collins, Jason’s brother

In fact, Jason’s brother, Jarron Collins, plays in the NBA as well. In fact, he is a former player and the Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach.

He had apparently spent ten years on the NBA court. He played for the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers during his career.

Senior High School

In Los Angeles, Jason Collins attended the Harvard-Westlake School. He attended high school with his twin brother, actor Jason Segel.

As a result, Jason spent four years on the high school basketball team. He was also known as “Dr. Dunk” in high school and had Segel as his backup.

Jason also contributed to two California Interscholastic Federation state championships. He had a career rebounding record of 1,500 at the time, which was a California record.

College

Jason Collins attended Stanford University after graduating from high school. He was a standout for the Cardinal in the Pacific-10 Conference at the time (Pac-10).

Collins had 25 goals and an average of 6.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists as a college player.

He finished his career ranked first in field goal percentage (.608) and third in blocked shots (89).

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Jason Collins | Professional Background

Throughout his career, Collins averaged 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks. He only averaged seven points or seven rebounds in a single season.

In the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, he was chosen by the Houston Rockets as the 18th overall pick.

NBA Groups

Jason Collins spent seven years with the New Jersey Nets, and as a rookie, he was instrumental in the team’s first-ever NBA Finals appearance in 2002. During the 2002-03 season, he was the starting center.

Jason Collins was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Stromile Swift in 2008.

He didn’t last long with the Grizzlies, however, and was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an eight-player deal.

The following year, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks and remained with them until the 2010 offseason. Then, Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy dubbed him “the best defense on the team all year.”

They later traded him to the Boston Celtics, and a year later to the Washington Wizards. He became a free agent and declared his desire to rejoin an NBA team.

Jason returned to the Nets on a ten-day contract in February 2014, which was later extended through the end of the season. Jason announced his retirement in November, as the year came to a close.

Achievements and Awards

In total, Jason has appeared in 735 regular-season games and 95 playoff games. In the regular season, he has a free throw percentage of.647 and a three-point percentage of.206.

Similarly, his playoff 3-point percentage of.677. His career stats include 2,621 points (3.6 PPG), 2,706 rebounds (3.7 RPG), and 626 assists (0.9 APG).

Some of Jason Collins’ most notable accomplishments to date are listed below.

  • National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame – 2013
  • Third-team All-American – NABC (2001)
  • Pete Newell Big Man Award (2001)
  • First-team All-Pac-10 (2001)
  • Fourth-team Parade All-American (1997)

Jason Collins | Career Stats

Year
Team
GP
Min
Pts
FG%
3pt%
Reb
Ast
Stl
Blk
2013
Nets
22
7.8
1.1
45.8
0.0
0.9
0.2
0.4
0.0
2012
Wizards
6
9.0
0.7
16.7
1.3
0.3
0.3
0.7
2012
Celtics
32
10.3
1.2
34.8
1.6
0.2
0.3
0.2
2011
Hawks
30
10.3
1.3
40.0
1.6
0.3
0.1
0.1
2010
Hawks
49
12.1
2.0
47.9
100.0
2.1
0.4
0.2
0.2
2009
Hawks
24
4.8
0.7
34.8
0.0
0.6
0.2
0.1
0.1
2008
Timberwolves
31
13.6
1.8
31.4
2.3
0.4
0.3
0.4
2007
Nets
43
15.9
1.4
42.6
2.1
0.4
0.3
0.2
2007
Grizzlies
31
15.7
2.6
50.8
0.0
2.9
0.2
0.4
0.5
2006
Nets
80
23.0
2.1
36.4
0.0
4.0
0.6
0.5
0.5
2005
Nets
71
26.7
3.6
39.7
25.0
4.8
1.0
0.6
0.6
2004
Nets
80
31.8
6.4
41.2
33.3
6.1
1.3
0.9
0.9
2003
Nets
78
28.5
5.9
42.4
0.0
5.1
2.0
0.9
0.7
2002
Nets
81
23.5
5.7
41.4
0.0
4.5
1.1
0.6
0.5
2001
Nets
77
18.3
4.5
42.1
50.0
3.9
1.1
0.4
0.6
Career
735
20.4
3.6
41.1
20.6
3.7
0.9
0.5
0.5

.

Jason Collins Declares Himself Gay

As we all know, Jason Collins is the first openly gay athlete to play in any of North America’s four major leagues. Although Jason was aware of his differences from other boys, he did not openly discuss them until 2013.

He had kept his secret since he was a child, never telling a soul about it. Indeed, he discusses how he was always treading water with the secret.

He used to date girls in the hopes of keeping things straight, and whenever the topic of girls came up, he would avoid it.

He did, however, date girls for a while before discontinuing. And when his friends asked where his girlfriend was, he’d say she was in another city.

Collins dated former WNBA center Carolyn Moos for eight years during one such event. They were even engaged and planning a wedding for 2009. Collins, on the other hand, eventually called it off.

You can learn more about the athletes who are also strong advocates for the LGBTQ community by clicking here.

The First Unspoken Move

Jason Collins took a small step toward his identity in 2011. The 2011 NBA lockout caused him to reconsider his decision, and thus, to mark the beginning, he chose the jersey number ’98.’

For him, this jersey number represented the 1998 murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard. Most basketball players don’t wear jersey numbers higher than 55, but Collins chose ’98.’

As a result, the Celtics’ manager naturally inquired as to the reason. Collins, on the other hand, simply made it up.

As a result, he allows this number to serve as his “statement to myself, my family, and my friends.”

Making a Public Appearance

Jason Collins first told his aunt the news before telling anyone else. Indeed, her unwavering support gave him the confidence to confide in his family and brother.

He called his agent, Arn Tellem, and waited for their announcement. He then spoke with John Amaechi, who came out as gay in 2009.

And He chose the first-person narrative with Sports Illustrated over any other announcement method, including TV or news. He had a three-and-a-half-hour interview that was turned into a story.

Evaluations and Support

Jason Collins received a lot of love and support after he made his announcement. From his teammates to legendary players on the field, everyone tweeted to support him.

Collins also received congratulatory calls from Oprah Winfrey, then-First Lady Michelle Obama, and then-President Barack Obama.

Similarly, numerous high-ranking websites covered his courageous decision to come out as gay.

On the same day that Sports Illustrated published Jason Collins’ story, the magazine’s website, SI.com, received 3.7 million visitors.

Post Announcement

Indeed, it was all smiles and happiness until he wasn’t sure if he would land any contract with any team. Also, he was a free agent then, and he intended to sign a contract; however, not even a single team reached out to him.

In 2014, Collins rejoined Nets on a ten-day contract and then for the rest of the season.

“When I was younger, I dated women. I even got engaged. I thought I had to live a certain way. And I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue. I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.” -Jason Collins.

Read more about inspiring quotes from late basketball player Kobe Bryant.

Jason Collins | Net Worth

At present, Jason Collins depicts a net worth of $16 million, and his estimated career earnings are $34,341,007.

At the entry level, Collins signed a four-year contract worth  $5,330,184 that earned him an annual salary of $1,332,546.

Following it, his contract was worth $23,600,000 for four years, and his annual salary was $5,900,000.

For a year contract, Jason earned an average of $1,352,181 while earning $82,324 for a ten-day contract.

On the other hand, Jason Collins portrayed a big endorsement deal with Nike. Also, he stands as the brand ambassador for the NBA Cares.

Charity

Jason Collins has worked for numerous causes like LGBTQ support, adoption, orphans, education, children, and equality. Not to mention, he has also raised his voice for equality and civil rights.

Additionally, he has supported organizations like Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation, Point Foundation, Human Rights Campaign, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and GLSEN.

He has been awarded Courage Award from GLSEN, LOGO TV’s inaugural Trailblazer Award,  and the Making A Difference Award to honor his works.

Not to mention, his jerseys have been a top sale after he came out as a gay.

As these jerseys stood on the top-earning spot, the collected amount benefitted the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) (GLSEN).

Jason Collins | Boyfriend

As we all know, Collins was initially in a relationship with Carolyn and had even asked her to marry him. Later, he called their wedding off; however, they have no ‘bad blood.’

Following it, he was reported to be in a relationship with LA & Austin-based TV and film producer Brunson Green.

Still, the news was only made official in 2017, and together they attended the 2017 Sundance Film Festival

Social Media

Instagram: 6k Followers

Twitter: 92.4k Followers

Click to read about the top ten best NBA players of all time.

Jason Collins | FAQs

What is the jersey number of Jason Collins?

Jason Collins features jersey number 34 for the Atlanta Hawks and 98 for the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and Washington Wizards.

What happened to Jason Collins?

While playing with the Hawks, Collins suffered from a right foot strain injury. After suffering from the injury, he missed the last five games.

Did Collins test positive for Covid-19?

Collins and his partner Brunson Green tested positive for covid-19. He believed that he contracted the coronavirus while traveling to New York City for the Brooklyn Nets Pride Night.

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