New York: Jason Collins, who became the National Basketball Association's first openly gay player, announced that he is retiring from professional basketball on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Collins, who played 22 games for the Brooklyn Nets last year, announced his decision in an article for Sports Illustrated, writing that "basketball saved me".

"In order to understand why I am so lucky to be sitting here today as a person who is finally comfortable in his own skin, you need to understand how basketball saved me," Collins wrote. "I needed to live the past few years as an openly gay basketball player in order to be at peace retiring today." Collins is not on an NBA roster this season. He said he would speak publicly before the Brooklyn Nets' game on Wednesday to explain his decision in more detail.