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NBA Mourns after two players die on the same day
The basketball world is mourning the deaths of former NBA player Jason Collins and Brandon Clarke, whose passing was confirmed on Tuesday. Collins died at the age of 47 after battling stage four glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, while Clarke died aged 29, with authorities yet to officially announce the cause of his death.
Collins made history in 2014 when he became the first openly gay player to feature in a major American professional sports league after joining the Brooklyn Nets. The former center enjoyed a 12-year NBA career, playing for teams including the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. His family described him as “an inspiration to all who knew him,” while former US president Barack Obama previously praised Collins for his courage after publicly coming out in 2013.
Meanwhile, Clarke’s death shocked the NBA community after the Memphis Grizzlies announced the loss of one of their longest-serving players. The Canadian forward spent his entire seven-year NBA career in Memphis after being drafted in 2019 and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020 alongside Ja Morant. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described Clarke as a beloved teammate who played with “passion and grit,” while tributes also poured in from teammates, fans and his agency.
