In a recent interview with ESPNW, UMass’ Derrick Gordon announced he was gay, becoming the first openly gay player in Division I men’s college basketball. As Gordon explained, he originally told his teammates on April 2, just a few days after telling his parents and his coach, Derek Kellogg.
Gordon says he was inspired by Jason Collins, who became the NBA’s first openly gay player when he took the court for the Brooklyn Nets this February and proceeded to earn praise and applause from both the NBA and its fans. Gordon decided to come out publicly only a few days after UMass’ second-round loss in the NCAA tournament to Tennessee.
“People think that gays shouldn’t be allowed to play sports or they’re too soft or this and that,” said Gordon. “From the looks of it, I know Michael Sam isn’t soft and Jason Collins isn’t. For one, I’m not soft and I think people misinterpret that when it comes to being gay. It doesn’t have nothing to do with how you perform on the court and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m still gonna play the same. I’m still gonna be the beast guy that I am but my sexuality is just different.”
Gordon, a 6-6 sophomore starter for UMass who averaged 9.4 points per game this past season, once starred at legendary St. Patrick’s High School in New Jersey, alongside Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
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