Jason Collins: NBA's first openly gay player dies aged 47

Former NBA star Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in a major US professional sports league, has died at the age of 47.

It comes after he revealed he had stage four glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He first disclosed his treatment for the disease in September.

His family said they were "heartbroken" to announce his death in a statement on Tuesday.

"Jason changed lives in unexpected ​ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him ​and to those who admired him from afar," they added. "Our family will miss him dearly."

Collins made history in 2014 when he made his debut for the Brooklyn Nets, having become the first male athlete in America's top professional sports leagues to come out as gay. He was a 12-year veteran of the NBA at the time.

He also played for the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards.

He received widespread support when he came out in an article for Sports Illustrated in 2013, including from then US president Barack Obama, who described him as a "terrific young man".

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Speaking at the White House after Collins came out as gay in April 2013, Obama said: "One of the extraordinary measures of progress we've seen in this country has been the LGBT community deserves full equality, not just partial equality. Not just tolerance, but recognition that they're fully part of the American family.

"Given the importance of sport in our society, for an individual who has excelled at the highest levels in one of the major sports to go out and say, 'This is who I am,' I'm proud of it."

Collins attended the 2014 Obama State of the Union address as a guest of the first lady, Michelle, and also spoke at the United Nations.

His former agent Arn Tellem said his legacy was one of "tolerance, dignity, respect, inclusion, compassion, and understanding", adding: "He left this world better than he found it."

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