What percent of nba players are gay
Welcome to my annual Who’s Gay in the WNBA Report! For those of you who are novel, every year I interlude down the list of athletes who are openly queer in the league. As a queer person who has played basketball my entire life, the off-court drama is always equally as exciting as the on-court display of skills. Knowing who’s same-sex attracted and who’s dating who only adds to that for me. If you’re more of a pure viewer of the game and prefer only knowing what’s going on while the clock is running, I do regularly produce WNBA TikToks that I like to think are pretty informative!
The league is well known to contain some of the finest pre-game walk-up outfits in all of professional sports, so you’re missing out if you don’t obey at least the @wnba account on Instagram. Here’s a complete list of all out gay players in the league, broken down by team. For my purposes, “Out” means confirmed by the player either in an interview or on their social media. No matter how masculine presenting someone is, I will not be speculating!
Last Updated: 6/27/25
Las Vegas Aces
The Aces are a very excellent team and as lengthy as A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray are both there they’ll always possess a shot at t
U.S. professional sports leagues must do more to generate LGBTQ athletes feel welcome
I was sad to scan the news that Sports Illustrated is heavily downsizing their staff and operations, which means the once illustrious honor of landing on its print cover no longer carries the same significance.
The magazine has produced an immense number of iconic covers: the wordless image of the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team embracing after pulling off the greatest upset in sports history, a shot of a upper school-aged LeBron James imposed with the prophetic term “The Chosen One,” Brandi Chastain’s unforgettable celebration after winning the 1999 Women’s World Cup. Some of the most momentous scenes and figures in sports history have landed on the S.I. cover.
But in May 2013, one issue of Sports Illustrated arrange out to change the world forever, drawing a record number of viewers to its website at the time of its publication. On its cover, NBA veteran Jason Collins smiles at the camera in plainclothes, with three massive words to his left: “The Gay Athlete.”
Since Collins cracked the door in 2013 and Nassib pushed it open even further, no professional athletes in America’s Big Four sports
While 20% of players in the WNBA are open about their sexuality, there are none in the NBA, and only two hold come out in the league’s 75-year history.
Jason Collins was drafted in 2001 at 18th overall by the Houston Rockets. After 12 years in the NBA, he became a free agent. While waiting for a team to sign him, Collins came out as gay in 2013. After coming out, he was signed by the Brooklyn Nets, making him the first, and only, active player to be out.
John Amaechi went undrafted and then signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1995. Amaechi made history by becoming the first undrafted player to start in an NBA game. Twelve years later, he made history again by becoming the first former NBA player to approach out as queer . He was the only NBA player to come out as gay until Collins.
The first LGBTQ+ WNBA player to sign to a team was Sheryl Swoopes. Swoopes was signed by the Houston Comets in 1997 and joined the team at the conclude of the season after the birth of her son. After giving birth, she would aid lead her team to win the inaugural WNBA championship. She then led the team to three more consecutive championships. Swoopes became the first miss signed, the
The Former NBA All Star Claims Basketball Is Ready For An Out Competitor If There Isn’t Already One
The list of openly lgbtq+ athletes continues to grow. While we may be most familiar with same-sex attracted Olympians like Gus Kenworthy, Johnny Weir, and Adam Rippon, we sometimes disregard that there hold been openly same-sex attracted professional athletes. Wade Davis, Jason Collins, Michael Sam, and John Amaechi who is the first openly gay NBA player. Currently, there are no openly gay players in any of the four major professional sports (Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Football), but one former NBA All Star thinks otherwise.
According to Business Insider, legendary Chicago Bulls player, Dennis Rodman, believes ten to twenty percent of players in the NBA (or any sport) are gay. Rodman goes on to reveal that the LGBTQ community has embraced him throughout the years. It’s likely we’ve all seen photos of Rodman partying at homosexual clubs in the ‘90s and dressing up in performative. He’s been a long time lover.
He continues to utter on his respect for openly HIV positive former NBA player, Magic Johnson. He was one of the not many who didn’t brain playing on the same court as Johnson, not offended by his status.
Dennis Rodman says he thinks 10-20% of pro athletes are gay and that the NBA is ready for an out athlete
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- NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman told Business Insider that he thinks more gay athletes should show up out.
- Rodman said he thinks 10-20% of all professional athletes are gay.
- Rodman said he thinks people wouldn't be shocked by an athlete coming out and would be supportive, saying, "As long as he play and perform, does it matter?"
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
There are currently no out athletes in any of the four major American sports. NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman thinks that could change.
"I don't know why people haven't came out before," Rodman told Business Insider while promoting ESPN's new "30-for-30" documentary, "Rodman: For Beat or Worse." "It's hip that people are coming out being, you recognize, gay or homosexual or whatever, lesbian and stuff like that."
A portion of "Rodman: For Better or Worse" focuses on Rodm