Jason Collins story of coming out as a gay NBA player while still active has been one that has been met with widespread respect and encouragement (apart from a few idiots, ie: Mike Wallace, Assante Samuel, Chris Broussard) and now Collins will make the big jump for an interview, sitting down with Oprah Winfrey.
According to EW.com, Collins and his family will sit down for an interview that will air as part of Oprah's Next Chapter on OWN on Sunday, May 5 at 8 p.m. Collins will be joined by his twin brother Jarron, as well as parents Portia and Paul Collins, his sister-in-law Elsa Collins and aunt Teri Jackson. Collins came out in a Sports Illustrated cover story and is the first professional male athlete in major team sports to do so while active.
Collins played for the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards last season and he is expected to touch on a number of topics, including why he decided to come out and how his story will affect the many others who are still in the closet. He was given the presidential seal of approval when Barack Obama personally called to congratulate him, and also received overwhelming support from other professional athletes and celebrities from the entertainment world.
Other commentators suggested that Collins' move was easier because he is not a star and not in his prime. A 34-year-old veteran who has played for six different teams in his 12-year NBA career, Collins is a free agent looking for a new team.
