Charles Barkley dunks on homophobia after former Net Jason Collins' death

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on May 15, 2026

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NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley honored former Nets center Jason Collins for his courage after the NBA’s first openly gay player died from brain cancer Tuesday.

The outspoken 16-year pro basketball veteran and longtime broadcaster also decried homophobia during Wednesday night’s “Inside the NBA” program.

Collins, who helped lead the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003, a decade before the team moved to Brooklyn, came out as gay in 2013. The following year he became the first publicly gay male athlete to play professionally in a major U.S. sport.

“If another guy did it, it would still be a big deal — because we live in a homophobic society and that’s unfortunate,” Barkley declared on ESPN.

According to Sir Charles, Collins may have been the first admittedly gay player in the NBA, but it’s unlikely he’s the only homosexual pro athlete fans have cheered for over the years.

“Anybody who thinks we ain’t got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they’re just stupid,” the 63-year-old former hoops forward said. “There is such an atmosphere toward the gay community, and that’s what’s really unfortunate.”

The website Out Athletes reported in 2024 there were nearly 4,600 active players in major U.S. men’s sports and none of them were known to be openly gay. Meanwhile, dozens of female athletes in the WNBA are openly homosexual.

Barkley offered advice to gay athletes finding themselves at a crossroads.

“Do you,” he recommended. “Gay people have the right to do what they want to do. It’s nobody’s business at all.”