American athlete Jason Collins was BOTD in 1978. Born in Los Angeles, California, he and his twin brother Jarron were gifted athletes from their youth, becoming stars of high-school basketball leagues. He attended Stanford University on a sports scholarships, where he was an All-American in 2000–01. After graduation, he was selected by the Houston Rockets as the 18th overall pick in the 2001 National Basketball Association draft. He went on to play for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets. Collins was in an eight-year relationship with fellow basketball player Carolyn Moos, until Collins called off their wedding in 2009. In 2013, he came out publicly as gay in an interview for Sports Illustrated magazine, becoming the first active male professional athlete in the United States to declare his sexuality. His announcement drew praise from lesbian tennis star Martina Navratilova, who called him “a game changer” for team sports, NBA star Kobe Bryant and President Barack Obama, though basketball analyst Chris Broussard stated that he did not believe that Collins could “live an openly homosexual lifestyle” and be a Christian. In 2014, he retired from professional basketball. Later that year, he announced his relationship with film producer Brunson Green, marrying in May 2025.