http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/teams/washington_wizards/76 Recent articles about Washington Wizards en-us If you haven’t heard by now, the Washington Wizards found some luck during the NBA Draft Lottery last night. With a few lucky draws of the ping pong balls, they jumped up from the 8th position to landing the 3rd overall pick in the draft come June. It appears that the consensus is Nerlens Noel will be the number one pick overall (certainly still not a lock), and that the Orlando Magic are high on shooting guard Ben McElmore. Keep in mind it is still very early in the process, and teams have yet to hold individual workouts, so it is very possible that the order of these top prospects could end up changing. Early mock drafts seem to have the Wizards choice narrowed down to two players — Anthony Bennet and Otto Porter Jr. Other top prospects that should still be on the board when the Wizards are picking are Victor Oladipo, Alex Len, and Shabazz Muhammad. So going with the assumption that Noel and McElmore will be off the board, who is your (early) pick for the Wizards? Vote in the poll... Wed, 22 May 2013 17:21:09 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/who_should_the_wizards_draft_with_the_3rd_pick/13673854 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/who_should_the_wizards_draft_with_the_3rd_pick/13673854 Who Should The Wizards Draft With The 3rd Pick? http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/who_should_the_wizards_draft_with_the_3rd_pick/13673854 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Don’t Worry Guys…I Got You   Last night the the Wizards fans experienced their most excitement since winning the 2010 Draft Lottery and the right to draft John Wall. Yes that is sad to think about that the climax of Wizardom excitement has come from draft lotteries the last three years, but when such excitement occurs, GIFs are the only way to express said excitement. Enjoy! ***All GIF’s via GIPHY, which might just be the best place on the internets.***   -At 8:32 after a belly full of steak and four beers deep. Aka before the announcement of the draft order: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ - At around 8:41 when Adam Silver announced “The Detroit Pistons will be selecting 8th overall”:   _____________________________________________________________________________________________ - My friend who is a Bobcats fan after the Suns landed the 5th pick and then after the Bobcats slid to the 4th pick. Hopefully it doesn’t rai... Wed, 22 May 2013 11:54:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/a_draft_lottery_diary_from_a_wizards_fanin_gif_form/13671046 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/a_draft_lottery_diary_from_a_wizards_fanin_gif_form/13671046 A Draft Lottery Diary From A Wizards Fan….in GIF Form http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/a_draft_lottery_diary_from_a_wizards_fanin_gif_form/13671046 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/2/020b572cbad77f78ca404d414aaddcb0eb37208d/mini/6946576.jpg Exactly Last night at approximately 8:47 PM the Washington Wizards finally had a break go their way. When Adam Silver announced that the Detroit Pistons would be selecting 8th overall instead of the Wizards, a ton of excitement and and quite a bit of relief rushed over Wiz fans everywhere. It was exciting to move up in the top 3 of the draft, and a relief that Washington wouldn’t be selecting from the scraps of the lottery prospects come June 27th. Last night was the definition of a moral victory. And there is no better way to celebrate that moral victory than with a nice music video! The Wizards didn’t land the 1st overall selection, but I don’t think you’ll hear any fan complain about drafting 3rd. Not only does it give the Wizards a better chance to land a more quality talent, but increases the pick’s trade value if Grunfeld decides to wheel and deal. At this moment in time one thing is for certain: The Wizards own the 3rd, 37th, and the 54th picks in the 2013 draft. We all know ... Wed, 22 May 2013 10:40:43 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/moving_on_up_wizards_land_3rd_overall_pick/13670425 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/moving_on_up_wizards_land_3rd_overall_pick/13670425 Moving On Up: Wizards Land 3rd Overall Pick http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/moving_on_up_wizards_land_3rd_overall_pick/13670425 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Anthony Bennett is a 6’7 240 pound forward prospect in the 2013 NBA draft. He has huge hands, wide shoulders and an enormous 7’1″wingspan which gives him great ability to dunk the ball with power. He’s very athletic, long, quick & fast to go along with an impressive vertical. Scouts believe on the offensive end that Bennett could complement Wall and Beal well with his great offensive repertoire he displayed at UNLV where he averaged 16.1 points a game. He can take over the game on the offensive end and can become almost unguardable on the offensive end. He’s a very talented forward who can over-power SF’s and out quick PFs. Needless to say, Anthony Bennett is a very versatile offensive weapon. As far as Bennett’s outside game goes, he has the ability to shoot it from long range, but must show he can extend that range to the NBA three pointer.  He also has a good mid range jump shot which he can hit within the flow of the offense or as a pull up on the fast break.  Bennett is gr... Tue, 21 May 2013 13:05:10 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/is_anthony_bennett_a_good_fit_for_the_wizards/13663513 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/is_anthony_bennett_a_good_fit_for_the_wizards/13663513 Is Anthony Bennett A Good Fit For The Wizards? http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/is_anthony_bennett_a_good_fit_for_the_wizards/13663513 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It has been interesting this season to listen to the responses of Derrick Rose’s peers when they’re asked their thoughts regarding the young injured superstar. If you remember, Rose was cleared medically by doctors months ago but decided to sit out the full season and hasn’t played since April in 2012. So when Washington Wizards [...] Sun, 19 May 2013 17:40:24 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/wizards_guard_bradley_beal_says_derrick_rose_was_scared_to_play/13650769 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/wizards_guard_bradley_beal_says_derrick_rose_was_scared_to_play/13650769 Wizards’ Guard Bradley Beal says Derrick Rose was “Scared” to Play http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/wizards_guard_bradley_beal_says_derrick_rose_was_scared_to_play/13650769 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/1/21772b7c1d3937b2f4691397edca987fc8e2313b/mini/6871714.jpg The Chicago Bulls season has ended, but that’s not stopping people from continuing to take shots at star guard Derrick Rose. Rose now has wet behind the ears rookies taking shots. Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal was talking to LaVar and Dukes on 106.7 The Fan about the situation, and Bradley couldn’t help but voice his opinion. “That’s hard, because I’ve never experienced that injury,” Beal said. “And I know what type of injury that is, it’s possible it’s gonna happen again. Knock on wood. But at the same time, you might have to give it a go. If you’re practicing for two months and everybody in practice is saying you’re practicing well, I figure you gotta give it a shot in a game. “But it’s his decision. I can’t really have a say so in it. If he doesn’t feel he’s mentally confident to be able to go out there and help the team, I guess I can’t really blame him for it.” Beal didn’t stop there, saying that if he was Rose teammate, he’d lose respect. “A little bit. Sun, 19 May 2013 15:45:49 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/wizards_g_bradley_beal_rips_derrick_rose_says_hes_scared_to_play/13650337 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/wizards_g_bradley_beal_rips_derrick_rose_says_hes_scared_to_play/13650337 Wizards G Bradley Beal Rips Derrick Rose, Says He’s Scared To Play http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/wizards_g_bradley_beal_rips_derrick_rose_says_hes_scared_to_play/13650337 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/e/7e6e6a1468eeb733c98cab5086816336af23e5be/mini/6664560.jpg Derrick Rose's decision to sit out the entire year has caused Washington Wizards first-round pick Bradley Beal to lose respect for the Chicago Bulls guard. Sun, 19 May 2013 12:15:51 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/bradley_beal_calls_derrick_rose_scared_says_he_would_lose_respect_as_a_teammate/13649485 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/bradley_beal_calls_derrick_rose_scared_says_he_would_lose_respect_as_a_teammate/13649485 Beal: Derrick Rose is scared http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/bradley_beal_calls_derrick_rose_scared_says_he_would_lose_respect_as_a_teammate/13649485 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/3/8319a857f5cb710cd476bd947de6ce33cd4688e5/mini/bradbrad.jpg It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Unfortunately, Draft Lottery Day has become a staple for the Washington Wizards and is something Wizards fans have become accustomed to lately. It is essentially Christmas in May. Sadly, it also has the potential to be the Christmas where Santa didn’t show up, disappointing the faithful after suffering through another miserable season. But there is always that small chance of hope. That small part of you deep down inside that says with a sigh, “yeah, it could happen.” When the draft lottery occurs on Tuesday, May 21st, the Wizards will have the 8th best shot at landing the first overall pick. The purpose of this article is to break down the possible scenarios that the Wizards could be looking at. While the actual process of how the lottery works — along with going behind the curtain into the mysterious lottery room where the “magic” happens — is mathematically complicated, the actual results and possible outcomes are not. If you are more int... Sat, 18 May 2013 10:55:04 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/explaining_the_nba_draft_lottery_for_wizards_scenarios/13644775 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/explaining_the_nba_draft_lottery_for_wizards_scenarios/13644775 Explaining the NBA Draft Lottery for Wizards Scenarios http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/explaining_the_nba_draft_lottery_for_wizards_scenarios/13644775 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The 2013 NBA Draft is creeping up on us and is only 41 days away. While the Wizards are still in the dark until May 21st as to where they will be selecting in the first round, it is already locked in that picks 37 and 54 belong to the Wiz Kids. Last week I detailed some 2nd round prospects that the Washington Wizards should take a look at. Since some of those players have been moving up a majority of draft boards, it’s time to dig deeper in the 2nd round and check out a few additional prospects that the Wiz should have atop their draft board come round two.   Reggie Bullock – 6’7″ SG/SF, North Carolina Listen to this: A sweet shooting 6’7″ swing man whose penetration is evolving. Remind you or someone? (cough cough) Martell Webster. Come draft day we won’t know if Webster will be re-signed, so why not draft Martell 2.0? Bullock averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting .436 from downtown. In mock drafts around the internet, the UNC produ... Fri, 17 May 2013 13:16:51 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/additional_2nd_round_prospects_that_the_wizards_should_keep_an_eye_on/13639366 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/additional_2nd_round_prospects_that_the_wizards_should_keep_an_eye_on/13639366 Additional 2nd Round Prospects That The Wizards Should Keep an Eye On http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/additional_2nd_round_prospects_that_the_wizards_should_keep_an_eye_on/13639366 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png That’s cold T… Recently Jason Collins became the first active professional athlete on a team sport to come out as gay. Here’s the thing though, when you have an identical twin brother, is it really fair to him? Well, Jaron Collins, brother of the now famous for being gay Jason Collins, is doing his best to make sure people don’t confuse him with his brother. Great shirt.-TO Chris Bosh Was Smelling For Jason Collins? Jason Collins and Lance Bass Awkward Hug Thu, 16 May 2013 11:36:29 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_brother_wears_a_classic_tee/13630586 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_brother_wears_a_classic_tee/13630586 Jason Collin’s Brother Wears a Classic Tee http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jason_collins_brother_wears_a_classic_tee/13630586 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/f/4f6a3fa4621943f3d19c2af55496c3a2c8e201d2/mini/6878706.jpg Jason Collins gained nationwide notoriety when he recently announced that he is gay. Collins went from being a relatively unknown professional basketball player to being pretty identifiable in a matter of weeks. Naturally, Collins’ fame has created a lot of confusion for his twin brother, Jarron, who is straight. Late night television host Jimmy Kimmel decided to help solve that problem by giving Jarron a great T-shirt during the brothers’ interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Wednesday. Collins held up the shirt with a big smile and received laughs from Kimmel and his brother upon receiving the shirt at the end of the interview. He was even spotted wearing the shirt out in public. Jarron might have to continue wearing the shirt because he told Kimmel someone approached him at a urinal recently and asked if he was Jason. In the interview with Kimmel, Jarron talked about when his brother broke the news to him about being gay. He said that he and his wife had been trying to set up Jaso... Thu, 16 May 2013 03:55:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jarron_collins_announces_he_is_straight_with_great_t_shirt/13628480 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jarron_collins_announces_he_is_straight_with_great_t_shirt/13628480 Jason Collins' twin given great shirt by Kimmel http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jarron_collins_announces_he_is_straight_with_great_t_shirt/13628480 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/2/c26750656be3321b5b9a84f2322efd4b3c269b6d/mini/jarron-collins-shirt.jpg Irene Pollin and her lucky yellow blaser won the John Wall sweepstakes On Sunday, Ben Standig of Comcast Sportsnet-Washington wrote an article on who the Wizards should send to stand in for the franchise for the NBA Draft Lottery later this month.  Standig makes quality cases for some names (John Wall, Bradley Beal, Nene) and wrote a solid post on a topic so intriguing that left me wanting more. So, I decided to come up with a few more ideas on who gets to be the lucky person to be able to grin awkwardly into the camera as the team is awarded the 10th or 11th pick, much like when your aunt gives you undershirts for Christmas and you have to act excited.                  Cartier Martin or Garrett Temple:               The NBA Draft is, for sixty lucky athletes, one of the greatest nights of their lives. After all the hours of wind sprints and shooting drills, they are about to become players in the most prestigious basketball league in the world. Plus, they are about to get Wed, 15 May 2013 14:03:52 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_face_of_a_franchise_who_else_should_represent_the_wizards_in_the_draft_lottery/13623710 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_face_of_a_franchise_who_else_should_represent_the_wizards_in_the_draft_lottery/13623710 The Face of A Franchise: Who ELSE Should Represent the Wizards in the Draft Lottery? http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/the_face_of_a_franchise_who_else_should_represent_the_wizards_in_the_draft_lottery/13623710 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/2/020b572cbad77f78ca404d414aaddcb0eb37208d/mini/6946576.jpg Jan Vesely's lack of confidence in his sophomore season in the NBA this year was evident to teammates and coaches on the Washington Wizards, stemming from his regression in production. In Randy Wittman's mind, it is clear what Vesely must fix in the offseason. “He needs to work on his head first,” Wittman said. “I was thinking, ‘You’re not going to get away with it,’" A.J. Price said of Vesely's lack of confidence. Vesely regressed in every statistical category and barely finished with more points (126) and rebounds (122) than personal fouls (107). “It’s hard. Especially after my first season in the NBA, I was playing a lot. It’s hard not to find my position on the team and stay ready every game when you’re not playing,” Vesely said. “I just try to fight it. I didn’t know what time, when I’m going on the court so it’s hard to stay ready. I did my best, and I tried to work hard every day.” Mon, 13 May 2013 17:02:46 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/wittman_jan_vesely_needs_to_work_on_his_head/13609070 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/wittman_jan_vesely_needs_to_work_on_his_head/13609070 Wittman: Jan Vesely 'Needs To Work On His Head' http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/wittman_jan_vesely_needs_to_work_on_his_head/13609070 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/e/de73f4ad099a65bddfe645c065159152c1181968/mini/6932492.jpg NBA veteran Jason Collins made history this week by publicly announcing he was gay. Reactions have been mixed since news of his decision broke. Some people are on board with it, while others are certainly not.Count former NBA All-Star Larry Johnson as one who is not okay with it. The 44-year-old native of Texas made his feelings known via Twitter after Collins came out.I don't Jason Collins personally but he seems like a great guy. Me personally gay men in the locked room would make me uncomfortable .— Larry Johnson (@TheRealLJ2) April 29, 2013One of his followers quickly tweeted in response: "RESPECT LJ! There's no place in the NBA for gay players."Johnson responded by saying, "I agree."Naturally, Johnson's tweet incited a storm of response from other users as well. Some offered words of support for his position and others offered plenty of resistance.You can view the debate in its entirety via his profile page.Ppl ! this is nothing against Jason or ... Sat, 04 May 2013 12:32:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/former_knicks_star_larry_johnson_gay_men_in_locker_room_would_make_me_uncomfortable/13549976 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/former_knicks_star_larry_johnson_gay_men_in_locker_room_would_make_me_uncomfortable/13549976 Former Knicks star Larry Johnson: 'Gay men in locker room would make me uncomfortable' http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/former_knicks_star_larry_johnson_gay_men_in_locker_room_would_make_me_uncomfortable/13549976 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/c/4c530574b6d0c291c4a325498836857cc5351d73/mini/lj.jpg Carolyn Moos and Jason Collins spent seven years together — and were even engaged — but the NBA player’s former partner never once suspected he was gay. According to TMZ, Moos found out Collins was gay last week, right before he came out to the world. The two broke off their engagement in 2009, after the NBA player pulled the “plug on their wedding,” according to the report. Moos, a former WNBA player, told TMZ that he told her his homosexuality was the real reason he ended things with her. “It’s very emotional for me as a woman to have invested eight years in my dream to have a husband, soul mate, and best friend in him. So this is all hard to understand,” she said. “I care about [Jason] tremendously and only want the best for him. I want Jason to be happy for a lifetime and stay true to who he really is, inside and out.” Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:56:10 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_ex_fiancee_carolyn_moos_reportedly_never_suspected_he_was_gay/13520798 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_ex_fiancee_carolyn_moos_reportedly_never_suspected_he_was_gay/13520798 Collins' ex-fiancee surprised by news http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jason_collins_ex_fiancee_carolyn_moos_reportedly_never_suspected_he_was_gay/13520798 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/e/bea7a4a447fce88d796297388c24cd39a6802407/mini/81328380.jpg They dated for eight years and were engaged to be married, but she says she had no clue he was gay.  Moos played basketball in the WNBA and overseas for years (she is 6’5″), seemed pretty shocked and heartbroken by the news. Carolyn tells TMZ, she never once suspected he was gay, so the news is shocking. She says Collins eventually revealed everything last weekend — just days before his big announcement — and said that his homosexuality was the real reason he ended things with her.  Carolyn — who’s back on the hunt for Mr. Right — tells us, “It’s very emotional for me as a woman to have invested 8 years in my dream to have a husband, soul mate, and best friend in him. So this is all hard to understand.” I just wrote a story about how we should feel sorry for anyone who was taken advantage of by Jason Collins just now decided to come out of the closet. Think about it like this, you spend almost a decade in a relationship with someone and they just drop you without a good reason months bef Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:39:22 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_ex_fiancee_carolyn_moos_says_she_didnt_know_he_was_gay_photos/13519703 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_ex_fiancee_carolyn_moos_says_she_didnt_know_he_was_gay_photos/13519703 Jason Collins’ Ex-Fiancee Carolyn Moos Says She Didn’t Know He Was Gay (Photos) http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jason_collins_ex_fiancee_carolyn_moos_says_she_didnt_know_he_was_gay_photos/13519703 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8f67aaf96c0805b72b6b7b9301569538b9db1ff8/mini/mo.jpg As reaction to Jason Collins’ decision to come out as gay continues to pour in, it is no surprise that Metta World Peace has already provided some of the most bizarre comments. Rather than taking any topic too seriously, World Peace decided to bring Sesame Street characters into the mix. As Beto Duran shared with us on Instagram, World Peace was proudly sporting a Cookie Monster shirt when asked for his thoughts on Collins. His apparel had a lot to do with his answer. “Whether it’s a free country or not, you should be free to act as you want to do as long as it’s not violent,” he said, via Mark Medina of the LA Daily News. “No matter what it is. I came here in a Cookie Monster shirt because I wanted to, and I was going to wear the pants. But I thought you guys were going to judge me. I was going to wear the hat too. But I thought you guys would judge me. I didn’t want Mitch [Kupchak] to judge me. So that’s why I didn’t wear the hats and the pants. But I should’ve wore it. You should... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:08:56 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/metta_world_peace_compares_jason_collins_coming_out_to_his_decision_to_wear_cookie_monster_attire/13513982 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/metta_world_peace_compares_jason_collins_coming_out_to_his_decision_to_wear_cookie_monster_attire/13513982 Metta World Peace compares Jason Collins coming out to his decision to wear Cookie Monster attire http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/metta_world_peace_compares_jason_collins_coming_out_to_his_decision_to_wear_cookie_monster_attire/13513982 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png NBA veteran Jason Collins who spent last season with the Washington Wizards, is the first openly gay active player in one the United States’ major professional sports. Collins told Sports Illustrated that he has decided to inform the world of his lifestyle. Here is what he has to say Please click here to read this story and the reaction from the NBA and it's players regarding Collins' announcement. The post Former Washington Wizards veteran Jason Collins becomes first openly gay player appeared first on Players View. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:51:21 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_becomes_first_openly_gay_player/13512053 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_becomes_first_openly_gay_player/13512053 Jason Collins becomes first openly gay player http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jason_collins_becomes_first_openly_gay_player/13512053 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/d/1d4c4246090938ead26efd28eff1ce14af9fe546/mini/6824184.jpg Jason Collins came out today in an open letter which he penned to Sports Illustrated, and the support he received was overwhelmingly positive. In an order to show how we as a society are progressing in an upward trend, we have compiled some of the supportive Tweets which folks have been sending.   Some of the Tweets are from famous folks, and others are just from your average Joe.  There are of course a few folks who are on the opposite end of the spectrum, but we would rather focus on the positive. #bbpBox_328901917507989504 a { text-decoration:none; color:#0084B4; }#bbpBox_328901917507989504 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; }Proud of @jasoncollins34. Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU11 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite@kobebryantKobe BryantNEXT >> Article found on: Next Impulse Sports Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:10:07 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/a_collection_of_great_twitter_reactions_to_jason_collins_coming_out_as_gay/13511621 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/a_collection_of_great_twitter_reactions_to_jason_collins_coming_out_as_gay/13511621 Sports world reacts to Jason Collins story http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/a_collection_of_great_twitter_reactions_to_jason_collins_coming_out_as_gay/13511621 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/c/4c1b05ae8926a34276e011df3a0ac5972ae57ce2/mini/kobe.jpg For months, the sports world has discussed the potential of the first gay professional athlete.  Advocacy and support for an active gay athlete in American professional sports has grown immensely in the last several years and the question was becoming a matter of when and who and not if.   The time is now and the person is NBA center Jason Collins, who played with the Washington Wizards this past season.  Collins penned a first person story in this week's Sports Illustrated as this week's cover story.  Here's Collins in his own words: "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay. I didn'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. I wish I wasn'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 ha... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:22:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_comes_out_as_first_gay_athlete_in_major_american_pro_sports/13511204 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jason_collins_comes_out_as_first_gay_athlete_in_major_american_pro_sports/13511204 Jason Collins: 'I'm black. And I'm gay' http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jason_collins_comes_out_as_first_gay_athlete_in_major_american_pro_sports/13511204 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/6/d673defdbca4d291979fb260b6bc99592d6d111c/mini/jason-collins.jpg