Gay former NBA player disrespects Christian beliefs of some NHL stars: 'Religion should not be a cause for division'

A former NBA player, better known for his sexual orientation than anything he ever did on the court, has heavily criticized several hockey stars who have opted out of Pride events on account of their Christian beliefs.

In the spring of 2013, Jason Collins, then a 34-year-old NBA journeyman who had bounced around the league for more than a decade and who had previously been engaged to a woman, made a name for himself by announcing to the world that he is sexually attracted to other men. At the time, Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, both Democrats, lauded Collins for his supposed bravery, and Time even included Collins on its list of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

Collins did not play another minute in the league for the remainder of 2013. In early 2014, the center signed with the Nets and appeared in 22 games, making Collins the first active openly gay NBA player — and, indeed, the first active openly gay player in any of the four major professional sports leagues. He retired that November with a career average of just 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and .9 assists per game.

Now, the Athletic has marked the 10-year anniversary of Collins' gay announcement with an article praising Collins as a trailblazer. During the interview about his personal life, Collins weighed in on the personal decisions of other professional athletes, criticizing some NHL players who have refused to participate in Pride events that conflict with their Christian beliefs.

Ivan Provorov, a defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers, was the first in the NHL to opt out of a Pride event, and he specifically cited his Russian Orthodox faith as the reason for his decision. James Reimer, the goalie for the San Jose Sharks, soon followed suit. "In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life," Reimer said in a statement.

In fact, the peaceful Pride event boycotts in the NHL became so popular that soon, entire teams had opted out of wearing Pride-themed jerseys. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman then stated that the league will re-evaluate its Pride-related events going forward.

Collins, now 44, slammed the NHL players and teams who refused to participate in Pride events, calling their Christian faith an "excuse." "Religion should not be a cause for division, to justify any kind of inequality or to not be able to accept someone for who they are," Collins claimed.

Collins even seemed to suggest that all Christians ought to follow the form of Christianity his "religious" grandmother displayed when he came out to her. "When I came out to my grandmother – and she was the family member I was most nervous to come out to – she said, 'Baby, it’s about love.' She said, 'Jesus taught me to love.' It's about bringing people together." Collins never explained what his grandmother meant by "it."

"That’s what I think religion should be about," Collins continued. "It’s unfortunate when people aren’t that way and try to use religion as a way to divide."

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