Jason Collins to be posthumously given Arthur Ashe Award for Courage

Jason Collins, the first openly gay active player in NBA history, will be posthumously honored for making an impact away from the court. Collins will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPYS in July, the event announced Monday.

Collins died in May after revealing a brain-cancer diagnosis last December. He was 47.

The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage is given to individuals who possess “strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost,” per ESPN. It was named after Ashe due to the tennis star’s willingness to speak out apartheid in South Africa and his courage in sharing his AIDS diagnosis with the world in 1992.

In 2013, Collins became the first openly gay active player in a men's North American sports league. His announcement came toward the end of his career, when he was a free agent.

While he remained available early in the 2013-14 NBA season, Collins was eventually signed by the Brooklyn Nets on a 10-day contract. He wound up playing in 22 games with the team before retiring at the end of the season.

Collins remained an advocate for gay rights in his retirement and is viewed as a trailblazer in the sports world.

Collins’ award at the ESPYS will be accepted by his brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins.