Last week , Jason Collins was n't even on an NBA team . In two weeks , he might not be on one . But for now , Collins -- the first openly gay , active player in the United States ' four big sports leagues -- is , by jersey sales , the NBA 's most popular player . NBA Senior Vice President Vicky Picca said Tuesday that Collins ' No . 98 Brooklyn Nets uniform is the top-seller on NBA.com , besting the likes of LeBron James , Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin . The interest is coming from the fans Collins has earned since announcing last year , when he was still unemployed , that he was gay . `` Jason Collins ' return to the league represents a historic moment , and fans continue to show their support by ( buying ) Jason 's jersey , '' said Picca . Not bad for a player who , just last week , inked a 10-day contract with the Nets . And the Stanford graduate hardly dominated in his lone game back on the court , going scoreless while compiling two rebounds and five personal fouls in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers . In fact , Collins had never been a headline player . A journeyman with stops with New Jersey , Memphis , Minnesota , Atlanta , Boston and Washington , he 's known more for his defensive prowess and rebounding than his offensive output , having averaged 3.6 points per game over his 12-year career . The warm reception he received during and after that game from his teammates , competitors like Kobe Bryant and league officials reflects more on Collins ' reputation as a player and person around the league , as well as his historic announcement . `` I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment , '' said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after Collins ' signing last Sunday . Whether Collins stays around remains to be seen . At age 35 , he 's not bringing fresh legs to Brooklyn . And the team has no obligation to keep him on the roster . Still , whether or not he 's a go-to player , Collins has very much become a symbol for the gay rights movement since disclosing his sexuality in an April column in Sports Illustrated magazine . `` I did n't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport . But since I am , I 'm happy to start the conversation , '' he wrote . `` I wish I was n't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying , ' I 'm different . ' If I had my way , someone else would have already done this . Nobody has , which is why I 'm raising my hand . '' There 's no escaping the symbolism in his jersey number : He chose 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard , the gay University of Wyoming student beaten to death in 1998 . The news that the Nets jersey was selling so well ( despite the fact that Collins has n't even worn it yet , having at first donned a No . 46 for the Lakers game ) struck a chord online . Some on Twitter praised the development , like one who wrote , `` He 's a piece of history , and this is really significant for a lot of people . '' Many others , though , were less enthusiastic -- including some who used gay slurs and suggested Collins was profiting because he is gay . ( In fact , NBA players do n't get more or less money based on how many of their jerseys are sold . ) Some questioned why Collins was being held out as an icon while , in their view , athletes who publicly profess their Christianity are criticized . A few people questioned the jersey sales not because of Collins ' sexuality , but because of what they considered his sub-par play . `` Jason Collins ' jersey was actually a top-seller ? '' tweeted one . `` Wow ... I mean I 'm glad he came out and all but # CmonMan . ''
NBA veteran Jason Collins announced last April that he was gay . After being out of work all season , he recently signed with the Nets . His Brooklyn jersey is now the top-seller on the NBA 's website .