The Boston Celtics are beginning to ramp up their preparations for the 2025-26 campaign. On Thursday, though, the team received a concerning update regarding the health of one of their former players, center Jason Collins.
The No. 18 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Collins initially broke into the league with the New Jersey Nets, spending the first six-and-a-half seasons of his career with them. Collins would go on to play for the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Celtics and Washington Wizards before returning to the Nets to close out his career.
Collins signed with Boston for the 2012-13 season, playing in 32 contests for them, averaging 1.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. He ended up getting traded to the Wizards alongside Leandro Barbosa midway through the season in exchange for Jordan Crawford.
Known for being the first male athlete in the four major North American sports leagues to come out publicly as gay, Collins retired after the 2013-14 season. On Thursday, the NBA announced that Collins was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, with Boston quickly sending a message of support to their former player.
“The Celtics family sends its love and support to Jason Collins,” the C’s said in a post on X.
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Since retiring from the league, Collins has served as an ambassador for the NBA. His time with the Celtics was brief, but Collins managed to make his mark on the team, even though he got traded midway through the season.
On the court, Boston is beginning to get itself ready for the new season. Expectations have been tampered thanks to a handful of offseason departures and Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, but you can bet the C’s will come out looking to surprise everyone and remain a top playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
