(NewsNation) — Former NBA player Jason Collins has revealed he has Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
He spoke about the diagnosis to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
“A few months ago, my family released a short statement saying I had a brain tumor. It was simple, but intentionally vague. 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,” he told Shelburne.
The 46-year-old Southern California native, who is currently serving as an ambassador for the league, is undergoing treatment.
The center was drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2001 and went on to play for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets. His twin brother, Jarron, also played in the NBA.
He publicly declared he was gay in 2013, which made him the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues.
Collins retired in 2014.
NewsNation affiliate KTLA contributed to this report.