Jason Collins, the first openly gay active player in the NBA, has died at the age of 47. His family announced the news on Tuesday.
Collins passed away following an eight-month battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He had shared the news of his diagnosis late last year and underwent months of treatment.
A longtime NBA center, Collins was the first openly gay man to play in any of America's four leading professional sports leagues. He served as a pioneer for inclusion and acted as a global ambassador for the league for the past decade.