The Brooklyn Nets will sign Jason
Collins to a second 10-day contract.
According to ESPN.com,
Collins will sign his second contract on Wednesday, the day after his
first contract expires, with the expectation that he'll sign with the team for
the season after the second contract expires.
In signing with the Nets, Collins, who
came out gay on the cover of Sports Illustrated last year,
became the NBA's first active openly gay player.
The 7-foot, 35-year-old center's No. 98
jersey has become a best seller. Collins chose the number 98 in
memory of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student who in
1998 was beaten to death by two men he met in a gay bar.
Last week, Collins met with Shepard's
parents and presented them with an autographed No. 98 jersey.
“Honestly, I have been a little bit
surprised,” Collins said during a press conference of the brisk
sales. “But it is great to see all that support for the jersey and
all that it stands for and why I chose the number. It is one of
those pleasant surprises in life and thank you to all the people who
have gone out there and bought the jersey.”
Collins added that he has received warm
ovations from fans in each of the road games he has played.