Charles Barkley thinks the world is still a pretty bigoted place.
On Wednesday night’s Inside the NBA, the NBA legend delivered a blunt assessment: gay athletes are present throughout professional sports, and homophobia is the reason most of them stay silent.
The segment was a tribute to Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay active player, who died on May 12 after a battle with glioblastoma. Collins, was was an NBA Cares Ambassador, came out in 2013, becoming the first pro athlete to do so while still competing in the four main North American sports organizations.
According to TMZ, Barkley was direct about what he sees as the current reality of pro sports, placing the blame squarely on society rather than the athletes themselves. "If another guy did it, it would still be a big deal because we live in a homophobic society, and that's unfortunate," Barkley said.
He added, "Anybody who think we ain't got a bunch of gay players in all sports, they're just stupid. But there is such animosity toward the gay community, and that's what's really unfortunate."
Collins, who was 47 years old, was diagnosed with brain cancer in December. Following his death, his family confirmed he died of complications due to Stage 4 glioblastoma.
"We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma," his family said in a statement. "Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly."
Collins was a 13-year NBA veteran who played for teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, and Washington Wizards. Last May, he married his husband, Brunson Green.
