Jason Collins Gives Matthew Shepard's Parents No. 98 Jersey

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Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins acknowledges the cheers from his teammates after Collins hit a basket against the Denver Nuggets late in the fourth quarter of the Nets' 112-89 victory in an NBA basketball game in Denver on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014.

Image: David Zalubowski/Associated Press

By Sam Laird2014-02-28 15:54:59 -0500

NBA player Jason Collins, who on Sunday became the first openly gay athlete to participate in a major American pro sport, has worn the number 98 the past two seasons for a very personal reason: To honor Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was viciously beaten to death in 1998.

In a poignant Thursday night meeting, Collins presented Shepard's parents with a Brooklyn Nets number 98 jersey of their own.

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Collins began wearing the number 98 in 2012, keeping it as a member of the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards before joining the Nets. He chose the number before publicly coming out, which he did while an NBA free agent in April by penning a first-person article for Sports Illustrated. He made sports and LGBT history on Sunday when the Nets signed him to a 10-day contract, which could later be renewed or extended.

Since becoming available for purchase on Tuesday of this week, Collins has had the NBA's hottest-selling jersey, moving more units than the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. After Thursday's road game against the Denver Nuggets, Collins met with Matthew Shepard's brother, Logan, and parents, Judy and Dennis, in private for about 15 minutes, according to the Denver Post .

"(Collins) is very kind, smart and humble. It was delightful," Judy told the paper.

"It was very cool," she added about his jersey gift. "Very kind and thoughtful."

Collins shared a photo from the meeting on Twitter:

Shepard, who was targeted for being gay, was tortured and left tied to a fence to die. He was found and taken to a hospital, where he remained in a coma for five days before dying. Collins explained the number 98's significance in his coming-out story for Sports Illustrated in April.

"The number has great significance to the gay community," Collins wrote. "When I put on my jersey I was making a statement to myself, my family and my friends."

Now he makes the same statement with that number 98 jersey — whether as the NBA's most popular piece of fan merchandise, or as a poignant gift to the parents of a slain LGBT icon.

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Topics: NBA, Sports, US & World