Political Draft: 25 Athletes Who Need To Run For Office

Jason Collins

Jason Collins is a retired NBA center. Between 2001 and 2014, he played professionally for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.

Collins attended Stanford University and graduated with a communications degree. While there, he played for the Stanford Cardinal. (Why is this team singular? Maybe Chelsea Clinton knows. They were at Standford at the same time and they’re close friends.)

It’s no secret that Jason Collins is a gay activist and hero. He was one of the first openly gay players in the NBA, and it was big news. He quietly brought his activism onto the court with his NBA jersey number, as he told George Stephanopoulos for ABC News:

"Jersey 98 for Matthew Shepherd and also for The Trevor Project. And they were formed in 1998. So for those two significant events in my mind — in history of America, period. That’s why I wore jersey 98."

He worked with President Obama on his Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Basketball maven Obama is still one of his biggest supporters and fans.

In 2014, Time included him in their 100 most influential list. Chelsea Clinton wrote up his profile, saying

"Jason’s kindness and fierceness alike derive from that word too often bandied about and too rarely true: integrity. Jason has always maintained he’s first a basketball player. He is. But he’s also a leader and an inspiration, for Michael Sam, Derrick Gordon and others whose names we may never know. And also for those of us lucky enough to be fans — or to call him our friend."

Returning the assist, Jason spoke in support of Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Democratic National Convention along with his twin brother, Jarron. The video is above.

What is Jason up to now? I think he needs to run for office. Looks like the time is ripe.