The NBA’s first openly-gay player Jason Collins has met with Matthew Shepard’s family after revealing his jersey number is a tribute to the murder victim. Shepard, 21, was tortured and murdered near Laramie in Wyoming in October 1998 in one of America’s most high-profile anti-gay hate crimes. Collins wears jersey number 98 in honour of Shepard’s memory, something he revealed after coming out. He’s now met with Shepard’s parents and brother, and given them an autographed Brooklyn Nets #98 jersey.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 1st March 2014 - 10:27am