Former New Jersey Nets & Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins announced his retirement Wednesday morning through Sports Illustrated, before an official press conference at Barclays Center Wednesday night ahead of the Nets-Bucks game. Predictably, fans, lots of fans, took to social media to ask why Jason Collins retiring was news, or why anyone cared, because they absolutely don’t care about this non-news.
In other news, Jason Collins officially retired from the NBA…why this is news, I don't know…was he even on an active roster?
— Bam (@imjustBam) November 19, 2014
Fuck u Jason Collins nobody cares!!!
— BALDY (@erk_24st) November 19, 2014
Another one seeking attention… Jason Collins. Sir, no one cares that you’re retiring. No one even knew you played the game.
— Alia L. (@A_Lace) November 19, 2014
Jason Collins retired .. Nobody cares!!
— Business Man (@kevjmcC) November 19, 2014
Shut up ESPN no one cares about Jason Collins retiring, he was gay and played sports big freakin whoop
— Cole Crossman (@ColeCrossman83) November 19, 2014
Why is Jason Collins retiring from the NBA actual news?
— Sergio Mata (@SergMata) November 19, 2014
@SportsCenter Why the fuck is Jason Collins still news?? u fucks need to find something better
— Young OG (@Ljbondz_KKMG) November 19, 2014
Why is this news? We already know he suck, no pun intended RT “@ESPNNBA: Jason Collins to retire from NBA — http://t.co/auIb5bdWHJ”
— C H E D D A (@DakaraiMac) November 19, 2014
nobody cares about Jason Collins
— Brianna♡ (@_B_Atch) November 19, 2014
“@MySportsLegion: Jason Collins has announced his retirement from the NBA.” Who cares
— Baby Joker (@_kendallswendle) November 19, 2014
WHY THE FUCC IS THIS NEWS??!? RT @NYDNSports Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, retires. http://t.co/bOCOWIqQFT
— Ski (@24_Ski) November 19, 2014
Why is it breaking news that Jason Collins retired? He's a shitty basketball player and only gets attention because of his sexuality
— Ryan Phillips (@SoFlyRy14) November 19, 2014
Why the fuck is it "breaking news" that Jason Collins retired?
— ⚫️⛄️ (@UnnagroundKing) November 19, 2014
Why is it breaking news that Jason Collins is retiring? Dude was a scrub.
— Anubis (@LENEsipper) November 19, 2014
I don't give a DAMN if Jason Collins retiring lmao. he's trash! why is that even news?!
— Crossbarinho (@raresideofray) November 19, 2014
Why are Bleacher Report and ESPN sending me notifications about Jason Collins retiring?? That is NOT news!
— Cavs Queen. (@Moe_Scorpio90) November 19, 2014
Why is Jason Collins retirement from the NBA even news?
— Juice (@Senor_Jugo) November 19, 2014
why is this news? RT @SLAMonline: Jason Collins Announces Retirement from the NBA http://t.co/zqy7DipYCy pic.twitter.com/nBWnHrsuYQ
— Eagles 7-3 🙁 (@tribecalledquis) November 19, 2014
Omg Jason Collins is Retiring from the nba…..NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO one cares.
— Jeremy Nicolls (@JeremyNicolls) November 19, 2014
Jason Collins is retiring WHO CARES
— NickSnay (@nick_snay) November 19, 2014
Who cares if Jason Collins retires? He's only relevant cuz he's gay. Big deal
— Eugene Bacolod (@EugBeans24) November 19, 2014
Of course, Collins’s retirement is news, for the very reason most people want to claim it’s not news: Collins was a trailblazer in modern American sports. Even if he was a PR move at worst and Jackie Robinson’s complete antithesis, and his ability to play professional basketball without torpedoing the very sport and destroying the Nets locker room, was both completely unsurprising and absolutely necessary. Collins has been cited by college athletes as helping them with their own coming out, such as University of Massachusetts guard Derrick Gordon. Collins willing to walk where no one else had in NBA history, and make the world a better and more inclusive place.
