Jason Collins facts for kids
Collins with the Brooklyn Nets in 2014
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 2, 1978 Northridge, California, U.S. |
| High school | Harvard-Westlake (Los Angeles, California) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Stanford (1997–2001) |
| NBA Draft | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall |
| Selected by the Houston Rockets | |
| Pro career | 2001–2014 |
| Career history | |
| 2001–2008 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2008 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2008–2009 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2009–2012 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2012–2013 | Boston Celtics |
| 2013 | Washington Wizards |
| 2014 | Brooklyn Nets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 2,621 (3.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,706 (3.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 626 (0.9 apg) |
Jason Paul Collins (born December 2, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a center for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Collins played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal. He was chosen by the Houston Rockets in the 2001 NBA draft.
After the 2012–13 NBA season, Collins shared that he is gay. In February 2014, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets. This made him the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues. In April 2014, Time Magazine featured Collins on its cover. He was recognized as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Collins was born in Los Angeles, California. He has a twin brother named Jarron, who also became an NBA player. Jason was born eight minutes before Jarron.
Both brothers went to Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. They helped their team win two state titles in California. Their team had an amazing record of 123 wins and only 10 losses. Jason Collins set a California record for career rebounds with 1,500. A famous actor, Jason Segel, was also on their team.
College Basketball Career
Collins played basketball at Stanford University with his brother Jarron. They played for the Cardinal in the Pacific-10 Conference. In 2001, Collins was named to the All-Pac-10 first team. He was also voted onto the third-team All-American team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
He finished his college career with impressive stats. He was first in Stanford history for field goal percentage (.608). He was also third in blocked shots (89).
Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the New Jersey Nets (2001–2008)
Jason Collins started his NBA career with the New Jersey Nets. As a rookie, he helped the Nets reach their first-ever NBA Finals in 2002. They played against the Los Angeles Lakers. Collins became the starting center for the Nets in the 2002–03 season. He helped them return to the NBA Finals that year. He averaged 5.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game during that season.
Moving to Other Teams (2008–2013)
On February 4, 2008, Collins was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Later that year, on June 26, 2008, he moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In September 2009, Collins signed with the Atlanta Hawks. He re-signed with them in 2010. During the 2010–11 season, Collins played strong defense against the Magic's star player, Dwight Howard. The Orlando coach at the time, Stan Van Gundy, praised Collins' defense.
On July 31, 2012, Collins signed a contract with the Boston Celtics.
On February 21, 2013, Collins was traded to the Washington Wizards.
Return to the Nets and Retirement (2014)
On February 23, 2014, Collins signed a 10-day contract to rejoin the Nets. The team had moved to Brooklyn by then. Collins played 11 minutes that night against the Lakers. This made him the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues.
Collins chose to wear jersey number 98. He did this to honor Matthew Shepard, whose 1998 murder was a widely reported hate crime. Collins' jersey became a top seller in the NBA's online shop. The NBA announced that money from jersey sales would go to the Matthew Shepard Foundation and GLSEN.
On March 15, 2014, Collins signed with the Nets for the rest of the season. On November 19, 2014, he announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for 13 seasons in the NBA.
Player Skills and Impact
Collins was known for his strong defense. He was good at defending the post and setting screens. He also excelled at boxing out opponents for rebounds. Coaches valued his ability to follow defensive plans precisely. He was also known for being a team leader and for his intelligence on the court.
Awards and Recognition
On August 2, 2013, Jason Collins was part of the first group of people inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Collins huddles with the Nets before playing the Washington Wizards in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Jason Collins para niños
