Are any nba players gay
BY: Zaniah Boykin
Published 5 months ago
The road to LGBTQIA+ visibility in sports has been a long and bumpy one, especially in professional basketball. For years, the NBA and other major leagues were gradual to embrace openly same-sex attracted players, but things are changing. Today, more athletes are stepping up, living their truth, and making basketball a more inclusive space. The courage of these players is shifting the culture and inspiring future generations. Let’s obtain a look at some of the most notable queer basketball players who have helped lead this evolution.
1. Jason Collins
In 2013, Collins made history as the first openly lgbtq+ player in the NBA while playing for the Brooklyn Nets. At a time when few athletes in any sport had come out, Collins’ bravery was a game-changer for LGBTQIA+ visibility in professional sports. His courage paved the way for others, and since retiring, he has continued to advocate for equality. Collins remains among the most crucial figures in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement within professional athletics.
2. Brittney Griner
Brittney Griner is one of the most high-profile openly male lover basketball players ever. Recognizable as a dominant power in the W
This piece is primarily motivated by a list of currently out LGBT players in the NBA:
It’s quite a list. It’s why the Suns’ Ryan Resch - their vice president of basketball strategy and evaluation, in case you didn’t know - made headlines when he came out this June. I’ll admit that I rolled my eyes a bit. But in a sport where literally zero of the ~450 players are out, it was newsworthy. It also spurred the following, admittedly belated reflection the state of LGBT representation in men’s basketball, with a spotlight on the Bucks’ Pride Night.
Let’s start by placing the issue of LGBT representation in context. The NBA is one of several professional men’s sports leagues in the United States. The US has been increasingly accepting of LGBT folks, although the trajectory has been rockier for transgender individuals. However, acceptance is far from 100%, with recent evidence including Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill (and a variety of copycats around the country) and three-quarters of the Republican members of the House voting against a bill codifying gay marriage into law. Unfortunately, there remains plenty of justification for not wanting to be out in the US; impute should not decline
John Amaechi speaks on what’s keeping NBA players in the closet
John Amaechi’s life changed forever the first time he stepped on a basketball court.
As one of the few black kids growing up in Stockport, England, he was routinely bullied over his skin tone. By the period he was 10, he’d ballooned to almost six feet giant, and he’d grown accustomed to seeing a fearful expression on the faces of others. But when he walked onto the hardwood at the age of 17, the now six-foot-eight teenager saw something unusual in the eyes of his teammates — acceptance.
“Instead of tackling me to abuse me, to fight me, it was a bunch of kids running toward me and yelling loudly at the superior of their voices, ‘He’s on our team,’” Amaechi told me in a phone conversation at the end of March. “It was such a heartwarming trial. I was like, ‘I am never leaving this environment.’”
Amaechi’s brain was made up shortly thereafter: He was going to the NBA. He started watching games on television and drafted “The Plan” with his late mother — a personal guide to making it to the league.
He moved to the U.S. when he was 18 and eventually earned an athletic scholarship to Penn State. After three standout season
Jason Collins:
That was the last nail in the coffin of, I’m doing this, I’m adding my voice to all the other athletes who are speaking up on behalf of the Gay community. But there were those family members that I had who said, Jason, do you need to approach out publicly? Can you just survive your life but know that we know we care for you, but you don’t necessarily demand to talk about it? And I said to them, that’s not who you raised me to be.
Jay Ruderman:
Hi, I’m Jay Ruderman and welcome to All About Transform, a podcast showcasing individuals who exploit the hardships that have been thrown at them to better other people’s lives.
Montage:
I say lay mental health first because if you don’t…
Montage:
This generation of America has already had enough.
Montage:
I rise before you, not as an professional, but as a concerned citizen.
Jay Ruderman:
Jason Collins spent 13 years playing in the NBA. During his career on the court, he earned a reputation for being a team player who knew when to step out of the spotlight for the good of his team. But that reputation came at a price.
Jason Collins:
I tried to be the wonderful son, tried to be the p