In the wake of Jason Collins’ death earlier this week, Charles Barkley lamented how little he thinks societal acceptance has changed since Collins came out as the first openly gay player in the NBA more than a decade ago.
Speaking on “Inside the NBA” on Wednesday night, a day after Collins died at 47 after a battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma, the NBA Hall of Famer said that America still has ways to go in accepting athletes of all sexualities.
Collins was the first active male athlete in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues to be openly gay.
“If another guy did it, it would still be a big deal,” Barkley said, “because we live in a homophobic society, and that’s unfortunate.”
Collins played 13 years in the NBA (2001-2014) and came out as gay on April 29, 2013, in a first-person essay published in Sports Illustrated. He went on to become a champion of gay rights in all sports for several years, once telling The Athletic’s Steve Buckley: “I would always try to spin things in the way of there’s work to be done.”
Barkley maintained that there are still more gay athletes in North American sports who don’t feel comfortable revealing their sexuality. No other NBA player has come out since Collins did in 2013, though Carl Nassib, then of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, did in 2021.
“Anybody who think we ain’t got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they’re just stupid,” he said. “But there is such an atmosphere toward the gay community, and that’s what’s really unfortunate.”
Barkley’s thoughts came in response to analyst Kenny Smith sharing that he believed society had progressed past someone being openly gay being viewed as notable. Smith championed Collins’ fight for normalcy in that space.
“You say… ‘What’s the big deal?’ If somebody said that they’re openly gay, what’s the big deal?” Smith said. “Well, 13 years ago it was a big deal. And the reason why it doesn’t feel as big now at times is because of people like him.”
Collins finished his 13-year career averaging 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. But for host Ernie Johnson, Collins’ impact on sports and society weighed far heavier than his on-court play. To Johnson, Collins’ legacy was the path he paved for others to follow toward living in their truth.
“He was just a gentleman, yes, and a guy firm in his beliefs,” Johnson said. “A guy who really, through his words and through his actions, has told us all, ‘You don’t have to live in the shadows.’”
