Former NBA player Jason Collins was initially reported to have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. However, during a recent interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Collins admitted that his condition was far worse.
While speaking extensively about his illness, which he later revealed to be Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer, Jason Collins shared his story and his experience since the diagnosis.
Collins mentioned that he first showed signs of illness a few months after his wedding to Brunson Green in May. Although he had been experiencing “weird symptoms” for a week, the former Brooklyn Nets forward opted to push through. However, he struggled to do so.
“I was in the CT machine at UCLA for all of five minutes before the tech pulled me out and said they were going to have me see a specialist,” he said. “I’ve had enough CTs in my life to know they last longer than five minutes, and whatever the tech had seen on the first images had to be bad.”
Jason Collins shared that his family noted that his clarity and short-term memory had disappeared, raising further concerns about his condition. It was at this point that he learned about his glioblastoma.
“My glioblastoma is ‘multiforme.’ Imagine a monster with tentacles spreading across the underside of my brain, the width of a baseball,” he continued. “My glio is extraordinary for all the wrong reasons, and is “wild type”. It has all these mutations that make it even more deadly and difficult to treat. What’s that mythical creature where you cut off one head, but it learns to grow two more? The Hydra. That’s the kind of glio I have.”
Despite being struck with tragedy, Jason Collins has maintained a positive outlook, something he credits to his career as an athlete.
“As an athlete, you learn not to panic in moments like this,” he said. “These are the cards I’ve been dealt. To me, it’s like, ‘Shut up and go play against Shaq.’ You want the challenge? This is the challenge. And there is no bigger challenge in basketball than going up against prime Shaquille O’Neal, and I’ve done that.”
Currently, Collins is receiving specialized treatment for his glioblastoma at a clinic in Singapore. Given that there is no standardized care for his condition, he noted that the only hope is to hold off the tumors long enough for a personalized immunotherapy to be made.
“The average prognosis is only 11 to 14 months,” Collins added. “If that’s all the time I have left, I’d rather spend it trying a course of treatment that might one day be a new standard of care for everyone.”
Jason Collins’ approach to his recovery is truly inspiring, but it also aligns with his legacy in the NBA, both on and off the court.
During his playing days (2001-2014), Collins was a key rotation piece for the New Jersey Nets. While he also spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards, he made a name for himself with the Nets.
For his career, Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, shooting 41.1% from the field. He retired at the end of the 2013-14 season, having played for the Brooklyn Nets.
Jason Collins was also the first active, openly gay player in the NBA, a feat that has been considered heroic. As an inspiration to many for his bravery, Collins has left a lasting legacy on the league as an athlete and an individual.
