By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After revealing ongoing treatment for a brain tumor in September, Jason Collins revealed he was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma on Thursday.
“A few months ago, my family released a short statement saying I had a brain tumor. It was simple, but intentionally vague. They did that to protect my privacy while I was mentally unable to speak for myself and my loved ones were trying to understand what we were dealing with,” the 47-year-old former NBA player shared his story with ESPN.
“But now it’s time for people to hear directly from me,” he added. “I have Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. It came on incredibly fast.”
Collins produced additional details on his approach.
“The biopsy revealed that my glio had a growth factor of 30%, meaning that within a matter of weeks, if nothing were to be done, the tumor would run out of room and I’d probably be dead within six weeks to three months,” he explained.
“The goal is to keep fighting the progress of the tumors long enough for a personalized immunotherapy to be made for me, and to keep me healthy enough to receive that immunotherapy once it’s ready,” he said. “Because my tumor is unresectable, going solely with the “standard of care” — radiation and TMZ — the average prognosis is only 11 to 14 months. 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.”
This fall, when Jason Collins was given a terminal brain cancer diagnosis, his twin brother Jarron said to him, “You have to fight.” Jason nodded. “I know how to do that.” I have the privilege of helping @jasoncollins98 tell his story. https://t.co/2uTFa98mCl
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 11, 2025
In 2013, Collins came out as gay, becoming the first to do so across any major North American sports league.
Over 13 NBA seasons, he logged 830 appearances, including 95 in the Playoffs. Following seven years with the New Jersey Nets, he went into briefer stops with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards, before returning to the Nets, then Brooklyn Nets, and retiring in 2014.