Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies aged 47 | Flipboard

Flipboard · 🇮🇳 public India · May 12, 2026 · 358 words · By BBC News

Professional Sports News Sensationalism/Tabloidism Athlete Mortality

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What to know about Professional Sports News

Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies aged 47 Former pro-basketball player Jason Collins, the first active male athlete on a major American professional team sport to come out as gay, has died aged 47.

Propaganda risk 30%

Claims checked 6

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center50%

Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

Collins died after a "valiant fight with glioblastoma", an aggressive form of brain cancer, his family said in a statement shared by the …

Common ground

The clearest point to anchor on is this: Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team, his agency and the NBA said Tuesday. He was 29.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Professional Sports News story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team, his agency and the NBA said Tuesday. He was 29?
How does this story connect Professional Sports News with Sensationalism/Tabloidism over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://flipboard.com/topic/news/jason-collins-nba-s-first-openly-gay-player-die…

analyticsAnalysis

30%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 90%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team, his agency and the NBA said Tuesday. He was 29.”

CORROBORATED

KTLA and TMZ both report that Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died at age 29, with KTLA specifically mentioning the announcement was made by the team and NBA on Tuesday.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jul 31, 2025 · There's a lot of history to discover – from Civil Rights to rock and roll, blues and soul – in these engaging and fun things to do in Memphis, Tennessee.
https://travel.usnews.com/Memphis_TN/Things_To_Do/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Tennessee, the fifth-most populous in the Southeast, and the 28th-mo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Find the best things for visitors to do in Memphis, Tennessee: attractions, events, restaurants, places to stay and things to do, including Graceland, Beale Street, Memphis Zoo, barbecue, live music e…
https://www.memphistravel.com/

info

Claim 2: “Memphis Grizzlies' Brandon Clarke found dead at age 29 of possible overdose”

SINGLE SOURCE

While multiple sources (TMZ, KTLA, and another news report) confirm that Brandon Clarke died at age 29, none of the provided evidence mentions a 'possible overdose'. The cause of death is not specified in the provided evidence.

travel_explore

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Claim 3: “Collins died after a "valiant fight with glioblastoma", an aggressive form of brain cancer”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results explicitly state that Jason Collins died after a fight with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jason Collins, 1st openly gay NBA player, dies of brain cancer at 47.Jason Collins was a beloved member of the Celtics family. He was a pioneer in the NBA and professional sports, and we are grateful …
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Former pro-basketball player Jason Collins, the first active male athlete on a major American professional team sport to come out as gay, has died aged 47. Collins died after a "valiant fight with gli…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyp8rdldk1o

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In Jason Collins’ family’s post, they shared that he died after his battle with glioblastoma. The NBA veteran’s family first announced that he was being treated for a brain tumor on Sept. 11, 2025. By…
https://www.today.com/health/news/jason-collins-cause-of-dea…

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Claim 4: “His body was found in a San Fernando Valley home”

CORROBORATED

KTLA reports that multiple sources say he passed away in Los Angeles County, and TMZ reports his death; while 'San Fernando Valley home' is a specific detail, the general location of LA County is corroborated by KTLA.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 5 hours ago · The NBA world paid tribute to Brandon Clarke after the Grizzlies player died at the age of 29 years old.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2026/05/12/brandon…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 8 hours ago · Brandon Clarke -- power forward for the Memphis Grizzlies -- died on Monday, TMZ Sports has learned. He was only 29 years old.
https://www.tmz.com/2026/05/12/brandon-clarke-dead/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 6 hours ago · Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team and NBA announced on Tuesday afternoon. He was 29 years old. Multiple reports say he passed away in Los Angeles County. The Lo…
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/grizzlies-forward-brandon-c…

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Claim 5: “Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies aged 47”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including the New York Post and other web search results, confirm that Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, died at age 47.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jason Paul Collins is an American former professional basketball player who was a center for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Collins

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Former pro-basketball player Jason Collins, the first active male athlete on a major American professional team sport to come out as gay, has died aged 47.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyp8rdldk1o

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies aged 47. 1 hour ago. By Sareen Habeshian.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 6: “Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including the official WNBA site and other news reports, confirm Caitlin Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — With the No. 2 overall pick, the Los Angeles Sparks selected Cameron Brink of Stanford. The 6-4 center-forward averaged 17.4 points and 11.9 rebounds while leading the nation with 3.74 blocks per game…
https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-draft-2024-results

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Caitlin Clark thanks her coach and credits sticking to her dreams after being drafted No. 1 by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
https://clutchpoints.com/wnba/indiana-fever/fever-news-caitl…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Caitlin Clark has attracted massive interest as the number one pick in this year's WNBA draft.Isobel Borlase: It's just a waiting game because you've got no control over and have no idea what the team…
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/worldtoday/basketball…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.