Jason Kidd mourns loss of ‘pioneer’ and Nets teammate Jason Collins: ‘This one hurts’

Jason Collins was a trailblazer in the NBA as the league’s first openly gay player, and Jason Kidd felt lucky enough to call him a friend.

Collins died Tuesday at 47 after a fight with Stage 4 glioblastoma. The late NBA center played eight years with the Nets and overlapped for seven years together as players before Kidd coached Collins for one season in 2013-14.

Kidd, a 10-time All-Star as a player and now the head coach of the Mavericks, spoke fondly of Collins after the news of his passing became public.

“This one hurts. Jason Collins was a pioneer,” Kidd wrote on X, adding a broken heart emoji in his message. “He had courage like you’ve never seen. He was an incredible teammate. And having him in Brooklyn at the start of my coaching journey meant so much. Those who knew him were blessed to call him a friend. You are already missed my brother. Rest in power.”

Collins, in a 2013 essay in Sports Illustrated, came out, becoming the first active gay player in the NBA. He returned to the Nets for one more season, playing 2013-14 in Brooklyn.

The Nets, in their own statement, lauded Collins’ importance to the history of the organization and the sport at large.

“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Jason Collins. Jason spent eight seasons in a Nets uniform, helping define an era of our franchise and playing a vital role on our back-to-back Eastern Conference championship teams in 2002 and 2003,” the team wrote. “He was a constant in our locker room — selfless, tough, and deeply respected by teammates, coaches, and staff alike. Those who were around Jason every day knew him not just as a competitor, but as a genuinely kind, thoughtful person who brought people together. His impact extended far beyond the court, and his courage and authenticity helped move the game — and the world — forward.”

Collins, who played for two Nets teams that reached the NBA Finals, averaged 3.6 points on a 41.1 percent shooting clip with 3.7 rebounds per game.

But as the NBA Players Association said Tuesday, his impact was far greater than his output on the court.

“The NBPA is proud to call Jason one of our own,” the players union said. “Today, we mourn a devastating loss while celebrating a trailblazer whose legacy of bravery and inclusion will resonate for generations.”