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Collins’ jersey selling well after he returns to NBA as league’s first openly gay player

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Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins, left, fouls Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, in Los Angeles. The Nets won 108-102. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Jason Collins hasn’t even worn his No. 98 jersey in a game yet, and already it’s a big seller.

Collins’ jersey was the biggest seller of the day Tuesday on NBAStore.com, two days after he signed with the Brooklyn Nets and became the league’s first openly gay player.

A league spokesperson says it is selling well again Wednesday, the day Collins will debut it when the Nets visit the Portland Trail Blazers. He wore No. 46 on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers because his preferred number wasn’t available yet.

Collins picked No. 98 in tribute to Matthew Shepard, who was killed in 1998 in a gay hate crime.

The league doesn’t provide the number of jerseys sold.

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