Former NBA Star Jason Collins Reveals Stage 4 Glioblastoma Diagnosis, Says He’s Ready for the Fight of His Life
Written by b87fm on 12/24/2025
Former NBA center Jason Collins has gone public with heartbreaking news: he’s battling Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of brain cancer.
Collins opened up about his diagnosis in an emotional statement shared with NBC News, explaining why he and his family initially kept details private.
“A few months ago, my family released a short statement saying I had a brain tumor. It was simple, but intentionally vague,” he said. “They did that to protect my privacy while I was mentally unable to speak for myself and my loved ones were trying to understand what we were dealing with. But now it’s time for people to hear directly from me.”
Collins revealed the cancer developed rapidly and is embedded in a critical part of his brain.
“I have Stage 4 glioblastoma… It came on incredibly fast,” he shared. “What makes it so difficult to treat in my case is that it’s surrounded by the brain and is encroaching upon the frontal lobe — which is what makes you, ‘you.’”
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What is glioblastoma?
Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer that grows and spreads quickly, destroying healthy brain tissue. While there is currently no cure, treatment can help slow progression and manage symptoms.
A history-making career — and another powerful moment of truth
Collins spent 13 seasons in the NBA playing for six teams. In 2013, he made history as the first active NBA player to publicly come out as gay, and when he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2014, he became the first openly gay athlete to compete in the league.
He says the courage it took to reveal his diagnosis comes from the same place.
“Your life is so much better when you just show up as your true self, unafraid to be your true self… This is me. This is what I’m dealing with,” Collins said.
His transparency and strength earned him the honor of 2025 Outsports Male Hero of the Year.
Fighting with faith, hope, and family
Despite the grim statistics surrounding glioblastoma, Collins says he’s not accepting any expiration date.
Sharing inspiration from his grandmother, he recalled doctors once giving her a devastating prognosis — yet she outlived the doctor who delivered it.
“So when a doctor says this is what your time frame is… I know there’s more in me. I know there’s more fight in me,” he declared.
Collins is currently receiving treatment in Singapore, undergoing targeted chemotherapy using EDVs — a technology designed to deliver treatment directly into tumor cells beyond the brain’s natural defenses. The goal is to stall tumor growth long enough to develop a custom immunotherapy plan.
As he continues his battle, Collins says the outpouring of love from family, friends, and fans has fueled his determination.
“While I was in the hospital, friends and family came to visit me to presumably say their goodbyes,” he reflected. “At that point, no one knew if I’d ever come out of the fog I was in.”
Now awake, focused, and fighting, Jason Collins is reminding the world of exactly who he is — a pioneer, a warrior, and a relentless spirit refusing to back down.
