We have our eighth loss from the Drop 40 to report, and it’s NBA’s Jason Collins. He bookended his professional career playing for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets as a center, also spending time with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards to name a few. While generally solid in defensive plays, he was not known for being much of an asset to the team whenever the play transitioned forward. A couple of player achievement awards in his first pro season aside, fame never truly found him on the court.
So it was off the court instead where Collins would made his mark in sporting history. After concluding the 2013 season with the Wizards, he came out as gay while still looking to play professionally, and after re-signing with the Nets in 2014 for his final season, became the first openly gay athlete to compete in any of the “Big 4” North American sports leagues. He was lauded for the decision given how notoriously homophobic much of the sporting world still is, and was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people of the year as a result.
Sadly his second notable public announcement was as far removed from a celebration as you can get. The NBA revealed his unspecified brain cancer battle in September last year, and come December he announced it was notoriously fatal glioblastoma. He fought the cancer with as much optimism as is possible all things considered, taking part in experimental trials and talking of his hopes that they might turn out to be the next standard of care moving forward. But it wasn’t to be, and the trailblazer succumbs at the age of just 47.
Collins was a new entry to the Drop 40, and another astute pick by leaders Pretty Noose to maintain a six point lead for now. Also popular on various sports theme teams, his jokering by my co-host Octopus of Odstock on their team Elton Welsby’s Sporting Triangles sees them now take the lead on 53 points. Germans everywhere no doubt praying an unlikely QO materializes for Mario Adorf now!
Taking center stage one last time…
Jason Collins, Drop 40 #20
December 2 1978 – May 12 2026
59 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀+40 = 13 Points
9 Teams 🃏 = 26 Points