BROOKLYN NETS TO SIGN JASON COLLINS THE NBA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY BBALL PLAYER

JASON COLLINS

The Nets will sign Jason Collins, making him the first openly gay player in the four major American professional sports, according to multiple sources.

It’s possible that Collins could even be in uniform as soon as Sunday night, when the Nets face the Lakers in Los Angeles.

Collins, 35, came out in an article in Sports Illustrated last May, but hadn’t signed with an NBA yet team this season.

Signing Collins, who turned 35 in December, would obviously be a watershed moment in American sports, and would come on the heels of former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam coming out in a series of media interviews a couple of weeks ago ahead of participating in the NFL Combine this week.

“It’s 2014,” Deron Williams said Friday when asked if the NBA was ready for an openly gay player. Michael Sam just came out, and his teammates welcomed him, and they’re in college. It’s time for the NBA, as well.”

The Nets, meanwhile, have been in search of a big man since before the trade deadline passed on Thursday, and specifically after sending Reggie Evans to the Kings as part of the trade that brought Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn on Wednesday.

But after failing to come to an agreement with the Lakers on a trade for backup Jordan Hill before the trade deadline, and after Glen Davis chose to sign with the Clippers instead of the Nets, the path was cleared for the Nets to sign Collins, who they had already worked out earlier this week, and who has been training in Los Angeles in the hopes of being signed.

“We’re going to look at anybody that’s a free agent that’s big that’s out there,” Nets general manager Billy King said on a conference call with reporters following Thursday’s trade deadline. “We’re going to look at anybody that’s in the D-League that’s big, we’re going to look at anybody coming back from China. We’ll explore all of them.

“Jason Collins is a free agent and he’s out there, so obviously he’ll be included in the list.”

Ever since the news first broke Thursday that the Nets could potentially be a landing spot for Collins, every player on the team has been uniform in their agreement that Collins would be welcomed onto the Nets with open arms, lauding him for his professionalism and work ethic and saying the NBA is ready for this to happen.

“If he can help our team, I’m all for it,” Williams said after the Nets practiced here Friday morning. “I think he’s a great role player. I played with his brother for five and a half years, and they have similar games, so I’ve known Jason for years … he could help our team.”