Jason Collins became the first openly gay basketball player to be signed by an NBA team.
Collins signed a 10 day contract early on Sunday with the Nets, just in time for their game against the LA Lakers last night. Collins came on for 10 minutes in the Nets' 108-102 victory, entering the game to rapturous applause from the crowd.
"I know that I can play in the NBA and it felt good to be out there tonight," proclaimed Jason after the game.
The 35 year old, veteran center, revealed that he was gay at the end of last season, but has remained unsigned until this latest contract.
Collins made it clear however, that whilst he was aware of the magnitude of this deal, making him the only openly gay player in any of the four major US sporting leagues (football, basketball, baseball and hockey), that he remained focused on the job at hand.
"The pressure is playing in an NBA game tonight and last time I played in an NBA game was last April
"So I think that's enough pressure right there."
Collins has played 12 NBA seasons in his career, including 7 at the Nets in the late 90s early 2000s.
The decision to bring him in was a basketball decision, emphasized the Nets' General Manager, Billy King:
"We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract."
This is the latest, in what seems to be a significant period in sport across the world. With Michael Sam, defensive linesman for the University of Missouri, looking likely to become the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL, the signs of progression are appearing slowly but surely. The day that a guy like Jason Collins signing a 10 day contract for the Nets will appear as news only for basketball reasons, rather than reasons extracted from his sexuality, may be closer than we think.
Here's footage of Collins coming on against the LA Lakers, last night.