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Jason Collins says he came out to Clintons before public announcement

Alex Wong / Getty Images News / Getty

Jason Collins, who became the first active male athlete in the so-called "Big 4" North American sports leagues to come out as gay, spoke Monday on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

In his speech, Collins told the floor that he disclosed his sexual orientation to the Clinton family prior to announcing it to the public through a Sports Illustrated article. Collins, 37, and Chelsea Clinton became friends when they both attended Stanford together in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

"I've known their family for almost 20 years," Collins said. "I am forever grateful for their words of wisdom back then and their unconditional support. They knew that my sexual orientation made no difference in my ability to play basketball."

Collins was introduced on stage at the convention by his twin brother Jarron, who is now an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

At the time of Jason's public revelation in 2013, he was a free agent. He later signed a contract with the Brooklyn Nets playing 22 games for them in 2013-14.

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