The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that starting April 4th until April 22nd, Jason Collins' jersey will be put on auction to support a great cause. Three jerseys signed by Collins will be available on auctions.nba.com starting 12pm EST on April 4th. Since Collins signed his first contract with the Brooklyn Nets, all of the profits from jersey sales have benefited the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Similarly, all of the profits from the auctioned jerseys will go to the same two organizations.
Collin's jerseys carry a significant value. After coming out last year, the NBA veteran made history. When joining the Brooklyn Nets, Jason Collins chose a number which is as noteworthy as his coming out story. Number 98 serves as a way to honor Matthew Shepard, a college student from Wyoming who was killed for being gay in 1998. Two out of the three jerseys put up for auction are game worn by Jason Collins himself. Each of the jersey is also authenticated by the NBA and MeiGray Game-Worn Authentication Program.