Any gay nba players
John Amaechi speaks on what’s keeping NBA players in the closet
John Amaechi’s animation changed forever the first time he stepped on a basketball court.
As one of the few ebony kids growing up in Stockport, England, he was routinely bullied over his skin tone. By the time he was 10, he’d ballooned to almost six feet tall, and he’d grown accustomed to seeing a fearful statement on the faces of others. But when he walked onto the hardwood at the age of 17, the now six-foot-eight teenager saw something extraordinary in the eyes of his teammates — acceptance.
“Instead of tackling me to abuse me, to combat me, it was a bunch of kids running toward me and yelling loudly at the superior of their voices, ‘He’s on our team,’” Amaechi told me in a phone conversation at the end of March. “It was such a heartwarming experience. I was enjoy, ‘I am never vanishing this environment.’”
Amaechi’s mind was made up shortly thereafter: He was going to the NBA. He started watching games on television and drafted “The Plan” with his late mother — a personal mentor to making it to the league.
He moved to the U.S. when he was 18 and eventually earned an athletic scholarship to Penn State. After three standout season
BY: Zaniah Boykin
Published 5 months ago
The road to LGBTQIA+ visibility in sports has been a long and bumpy one, especially in professional basketball. For years, the NBA and other major leagues were behind to embrace openly lgbtq+ players, but things are changing. Today, more athletes are stepping up, living their truth, and making basketball a more inclusive space. The courage of these players is shifting the culture and inspiring future generations. Let’s accept a look at some of the most notable queer basketball players who have helped lead this evolution.
1. Jason Collins
In 2013, Collins made history as the first openly same-sex attracted player in the NBA while playing for the Brooklyn Nets. At a time when few athletes in any sport had come out, Collins’ bravery was a game-changer for LGBTQIA+ visibility in professional sports. His courage paved the way for others, and since retiring, he has continued to advocate for equality. Collins remains among the most significant figures in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement within professional athletics.
2. Brittney Griner
Brittney Griner is one of the most high-profile openly lgbtq+ basketball players ever. Recognizable as a dominant compel in the W
This piece is primarily motivated by a list of currently out LGBT players in the NBA:
It’s quite a list. It’s why the Suns’ Ryan Resch - their vice president of basketball strategy and evaluation, in case you didn’t know - made headlines when he came out this June. I’ll admit that I rolled my eyes a bit. But in a sport where literally zero of the ~450 players are out, it was newsworthy. It also spurred the following, admittedly belated reflection the state of LGBT representation in men’s basketball, with a spotlight on the Bucks’ Pride Night.
Let’s start by placing the issue of LGBT advocacy in context. The NBA is one of several professional men’s sports leagues in the United States. The US has been increasingly accepting of LGBT folks, although the trajectory has been rockier for transgender individuals. However, acceptance is far from 100%, with recent evidence including Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill (and a variety of copycats around the country) and three-quarters of the Republican members of the House voting against a bill codifying lgbtq+ marriage into law. Unfortunately, there remains plenty of justification for not wanting to be out in the US; blame should not fall
Jason Collins:
That was the last nail in the coffin of, I’m doing this, I’m adding my voice to all the other athletes who are speaking up on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. But there were those family members that I had who said, Jason, accomplish you need to enter out publicly? Can you just live your being but know that we know we love you, but you don’t necessarily need to talk about it? And I said to them, that’s not who you raised me to be.
Jay Ruderman:
Hi, I’m Jay Ruderman and welcome to All About Alter, a podcast showcasing individuals who leverage the hardships that have been thrown at them to greater other people’s lives.
Montage:
I tell put mental health first because if you don’t…
Montage:
This generation of America has already had enough.
Montage:
I remain before you, not as an expert, but as a concerned citizen.
Jay Ruderman:
Jason Collins spent 13 years playing in the NBA. During his career on the court, he earned a reputation for entity a team player who knew when to step out of the spotlight for the good of his team. But that reputation came at a price.
Jason Collins:
I tried to be the good son, tried to be the p
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