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“We live in a homophobic society” - Charles Barkley gets brutally honest about gay athletes in sports
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- “We live in a homophobic society” - Charles Barkley gets brutally honest about gay athletes in sports
Last Tuesday, the NBA community mourned the passing of Jason Collins , who died after a valiant battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer. He was 47 years old.
A 13-year NBA veteran who was best known for his time with the New Jersey Nets , but he also had stints with the Memphis Grizzlies , the Minnesota Timberwolves , the Atlanta Hawks , the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards .
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For his career, Collins was seen as a serviceable second or third-string big man, averaging 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.4 minutes played.
More than his on-court contributions, however, Collins will forever be remembered for being the first pro athlete to come out as gay while still actively competing in any major American sports league in 2013.
Barkley says we live in a "homophobic society"
His courage to come out has certainly become a source of inspiration in the sports world, and during Wednesday night's episode of ESPN's Inside The NBA, the crew fondly remembered the life and legacy of Collins.
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Kenny Smith touched on Collins' coming out and how big an impact it had on the sports world.
"What's the big deal if somebody said that they're openly gay? What's the big deal? Well, 13 years ago, it was a big deal, and the reason why it doesn't feel as big now is because of people like him, so kudos to him," Smith explained .
Charles Barkley shared his thoughts and got real with regard to homosexuality in sports and in society in general.
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"In fairness now, if another guy did it, it would still be a big deal because we live in a homophobic society, and that's unfortunate," Barkley said bluntly. "First of all, if anybody think we ain't got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they're just stupid. But there is such an animosity towards the gay community, and that's what's really unfortunate."
"If you think there are not more gay players in the NFL, Major League Baseball, and the NBA, you're just stupid," Chuck continued.
Truth be told, there is a stigma when it comes to homosexuality, especially in male-dominated sports like American football, basketball, and baseball.
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"Guy was just nice, he was just a gentleman," Ernie Johnson chimed in. "And a guy firm in his beliefs, and a guy who, through his words and through his actions, has told us all that you don't have to live in the shadows, and he said 'Your life is so much better if you show up as your true self.'"
Coming out
There's no doubt that Jason Collins ' courage and actions helped pave the way for other athletes to publicly come out during or after their professional careers. One of them was former five-year NBA veteran John Amaechi, who came out as gay in 2007.
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In American Football, defensive end Carl Nassib came out while still active, while defensive lineman Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team.
These are just some of the many examples of athletes who were undoubtedly inspired by stories like Collins'. Their courage helped push sports toward greater inclusivity and it is something that we as a society have to work more on.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
