Former WNBA player Carolyn Moos-Hardin is remembering Jason Collins after his untimely death at age 47 from glioblastoma. She was his long-time fiancee before he came out as gay.
The NBA world is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Jason Collins, the first openly gay active basketball player in league history. The former NBA star died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 47 after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Across his 13-season career and especially after publicly coming out in a groundbreaking 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story, Collins inspired countless people in and beyond sports to embrace their true identities.
In his personal life, Collins was married to producer Brunson Green, 58, who stood by his side throughout his health battle. However, before coming out publicly, Collins had once been engaged to a woman. Here’s everything to know about Carolyn Moos-Hardin, the former fiancée with whom he shared nearly a decade-long relationship and once planned a future.
Jason Collins revealed in November 2025 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. During an interview with ESPN, he shared that doctors initially warned he might only have weeks or months to live without treatment. Determined to fight, Collins pursued experimental therapies in Singapore and continued making public appearances, including at NBA All-Star Weekend and Stanford basketball events. However, the cancer later returned, and his condition worsened before his death at home.
Following news of Collins' death, fans, colleagues, and close ones flooded the social media feeds with tributes to the late star. Recently, Collins' former fiancée, Carolyn Moos, also broke her silence as she reflected on loss and grief. In an emotional statement to Us Weekly, the 47-year-old said:
"How precious life is and how precious health is — I wish for longevity for all. I pray for peace and may the ways we leave a positive impact on people’s lives be eternal. My condolences to Jason’s family and those closest to him. Embrace the present, give with our presence, and realise time is our biggest gift."
Carolyn is a basketball veteran herself, besides being an entrepreneur and wellness advocate. A former WNBA player standing at 6 feet, she played college basketball at Stanford University, the very place where she first met Jason Collins as fellow student athletes. She played at Stanford from 1997 to 2001, and even won gold with the USA Basketball’s junior teams at the 1997 FIBA U19 World Cup (Brazil) and 1996 FIBA Americas U18 Championship (Mexico). After playing a professional game in France, Moos was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2001, and she joined the Miami Sol in the 2002 season. However, she had a limited playing time, having appeared in only two games with the team.
Both Carolyn and Jason excelled as basketball players during their time at Stanford University. Carolyn was a standout forward-center for the women’s basketball team, while Jason played for the men’s team. Beginning as co-players, the two developed a romantic relationship and stayed together for eight years. It was Collins who had proposed to Moos, and the two had planned a future together. At that time, Carolyn reportedly described Jason as her "best friend."
Carolyn Moos stayed by Jason Collins' side through most of his active NBA career, and they were a much-loved NBA couple. However, things ended abruptly when, in 2009, Collins unexpectedly called off the engagement and said he didn't want to marry. While Carolyn was heartbroken at the abrupt change, things fell into place years later.
In 2013, Jason Collins came out in a groundbreaking Sports Illustrated essay, becoming the first openly gay active player across America’s four major professional sports leagues. His revelation was widely praised for helping change conversations around sexuality in professional sports. At that time, Carolyn largely stayed away from public controversy surrounding their past relationship and handled the situation privately.
In May 2013, two months after Collins came out as gay, Moos spoke up about her shock and heartbreak about the situation. Speaking to Cosmopolitan, the ex-WNBA player revealed how abruptly Collins had ended things one night and left, leaving her in the dark, only to confess about his true sexuality four years later. She was quoted as saying:
“I empathize with Jason and support him. But at the same time, I remain deeply hurt by him. I wish he could have been honest with me years ago… He’s being hailed as a pioneer, but I believe true heroism is a result of being honest with yourself and with those you love.”
Carolyn later told TMZ how deeply emotional it was for her "as a woman to have invested [eight] years in my dream to have a husband, soul mate and best friend in him."
While it took her years to understand the unfortunate situation, Carolyn eventually moved on, finding love again in a military veteran, Mr. Hardin. The duo eventually married in May 2025 and welcomed their daughter, Chysa, in December 2025. After leaving basketball, Carolyn chose a life in wellness, leadership coaching, and advocacy work. She has worked extensively in fitness and personal development while keeping a relatively low public profile compared to Collins’ media attention after coming out.
At the time of his death, Jason Collins was married to Hollywood producer Brunson Green, whom he wed in 2025 after over a decade together.
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