Barkley Says Famous Basketball Players Still Face Homophobia
Charles Barkley said famous basketball players and other pro athletes still face the same fear around being openly gay, speaking on Inside the NBA after Jason Collins died at 47. Barkley said the problem has barely moved since Collins became the first active male athlete in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues to come out.
Barkley on Collins and gay players
“If another guy did it, it would still be a big deal,” Barkley said, adding, “because we live in a homophobic society, and that’s unfortunate.” He also said, “Anybody who thinks we ain’t got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they’re just stupid,” and added, “But there is such an atmosphere toward the gay community, and that’s what’s really unfortunate.”
Collins came out as gay on April 29, 2013, in a first-person essay published in Sports Illustrated. He then played 13 years in the NBA from 2001 to 2014, finishing with averages of 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. His death earlier this week, after a battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma, put his role back at the center of a conversation the league has not really resolved.
Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson
Kenny Smith pushed back on the idea that coming out would still be viewed as extraordinary, saying, “What’s the big deal? If somebody said that they’re openly gay, what’s the big deal?” He added, “Well, 13 years ago, it was a big deal. And the reason why it doesn’t feel as big now at times is because of people like him.”
Ernie Johnson called Collins “just a gentleman, yes, and a guy firm in his beliefs,” and repeated Collins’ message that “You don’t have to live in the shadows.” Those remarks framed Collins as more than a former player: he became a public reference point for how far pro sports have moved, and how far they have not.
After Collins in pro sports
No other NBA player has come out since Collins did in 2013. Michael Sam came out in 2014 just before being drafted to the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, and Carl Nassib came out in 2021 while with the Las Vegas Raiders. For gay athletes in North American pro sports, that leaves Collins as the line between a first and a still-small follow-on group.
The practical takeaway for the leagues is blunt: visibility has improved in isolated cases, but Barkley’s comments suggest the pressure to stay silent still shapes who feels safe speaking publicly. Collins’ death turned that gap into the story again, and the next step is whether any current NBA player chooses to break the silence he opened in 2013.
