Jason Collins, the NBA centre who shattered professional sports’ last great closet door, was found dead in his Los Angeles home yesterday. He was 47. The cause of death has not been released, but sources close to the family say it was unexpected. Collins became a global symbol of courage in 2013 when he came out in a Sports Illustrated essay, making him the first active male athlete in a major US team sport to openly identify as gay.

At the time, Collins was a 34-year-old journeyman, a 7-foot enforcer who had played for six teams over 12 seasons. His announcement came after a teammate joked about his celibacy. Collins later said the pressure of living a double life had become unbearable. “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” he wrote. “I didn’t set out to be the first. I just set out to be true to myself.”

The backlash was minimal. President Barack Obama called to offer support. Nike signed him to a sponsorship deal. The NBA, a league that had once fined players for using homophobic slurs, embraced him. Collins played one more season with the Brooklyn Nets before retiring in 2014. But his impact outlasted his playing career.

Behind the public adulation, however, there were cracks. Documents obtained by this outlet show that Collins had been involved in a protracted legal dispute with a former business partner over a failed real estate venture in San Francisco. The partner, Marcus Webb, alleged Collins misled him about the value of the property. Collins countersued for defamation. The case was settled out of court in 2018 for an undisclosed sum.

Collins also struggled with the weight of his role as an activist. He once told a reporter that every gay kid who got bullied felt like his responsibility. He spoke at schools, lobbied for LGBTQ rights, and in 2022, he testified before Congress about the need for the Equality Act. But friends say he often felt isolated. “He wanted to be known as a basketball player who happened to be gay, not the gay basketball player,” said one former teammate, speaking on condition of anonymity.

His death has reopened questions about the price of being a pioneer. In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said: “Jason’s courage changed the league and the world. He will be remembered not just for his bravery, but for his kindness.”

But maybe the truest legacy is the one written in the quiet corners of locker rooms across America. Four years after Collins came out, the NFL drafted Michael Sam, an openly gay defensive end. In 2021, Carl Nassib played as an active NFL player while gay. The dam had been broken.

Collins is survived by his twin brother, Jarron, also a former NBA player, and his parents. Funeral arrangements are pending. The cause of death is under investigation.