During tonight’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, Jason Collins will become the first openly gay man to play in the NBA. Collins came out in May 2013 when he was a free agent and has remained a free agent until today, when the Brooklyn Nets announced that they signed him to a 10-day contract.
At 3:24 PM EST today, the Brooklyn Nets tweeted the following picture:
RT to welcome @jasoncollins34 to Brooklyn! #Netspic.twitter.com/D05R9td9cx
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— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 23, 2014
Nets coach Jason Kidd said that Collins will play tonight, which makes tonight’s game a watershed moment in the history of sports. The news has already caused a lot of excitement on Twitter – it is a worldwide trending topic – and the social buzz will surely drive tune-in across YES Network (Brooklyn Nets), Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angles Lakers), and NBA League Pass. Collins will continue to be a major topic of conversation over the coming days and it will be interesting to see how the NBA alters its national TV schedule to accommodate fans and media. Here are some of the Twitter reactions thus far:
We are thrilled to welcome back our longtime player rep @jasoncollins34 and wish him great success as a leader both on and off the court.
— NBPA (@TheNBPA) February 24, 2014
Jason Collins expected to be 1st openly gay player in any of 4 major North American sports vs. #Lakers today. He speaks on pregame show.
— TWC SportsNet (@TWCSportsNet) February 24, 2014
Watch LIVE on YES! #NETSonYES RT @BrooklynNets: .@jasoncollins34 on the floor warming up for tonight’s game. #Nets pic.twitter.com/JTdDBc1yKj
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) February 24, 2014
Coach Kidd meets with the media prior to tonight’s #Nets vs. #Lakers game. #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/SYMvytZx8U
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 24, 2014
Typical Jason Collins vs. Yellow King TV viewing dilemma
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) February 24, 2014
Jason Collins became the first openly-gay player in NBA history to commit a turnover tonight. Historic.
— Andrew Kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) February 24, 2014