Nets Sign Jason Collins, NBA's First Openly Gay Player

Jason Collins has signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets and is set to become the first active openly gay player in the NBA. Collins will join the Nets for their game tonight in Los Angeles against the Lakers. The 35-year-old center revealed at the end of last season he is gay, but he was a free agent and had remained unsigned.

Nets general manager Billy King says that "the decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision." Collins has played 12 NBA seasons, including his first seven with the Nets, when they were in New Jersey and Jason Kidd was their point guard. Kidd is now the Nets' coach and Collins has been a teammate of several other current Nets. (More Jason Collins stories.)