A 7-FOOT NBA PLAYER WORE NUMBER 98. EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS RANDOM. IT WASN’T. When Jason Collins stepped onto the court for the Brooklyn Nets in February 2014, people noticed something strange. Number 98. Not exactly a basketball number. Nobody asked why. Most assumed it was the only jersey available. But Jason chose it. In 1998, a 21-year-old college student named Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die in Wyoming. His crime — being gay. That murder shook America and eventually led to the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Jason carried that story on his back. Literally. Every game. Every minute on the court. Here’s the part that haunts me — when Collins first signed with the Nets, the team actually gave him number 46. The only number available, they said. But Jason specifically requested 98 afterward. He once wrote: “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.” He started that conversation wearing a dead boy’s memory across his chest. Jason Collins died on May 12, 2026. Stage 4 glioblastoma. He was 47. Most NBA fans can tell you what number Jordan wore, what number Kobe wore, what number LeBron wears. But number 98 — that one carried something heavier than any championship ring ever could.

A 7-Foot NBA Player Wore Number 98. Everyone Thought It Was Random. It Wasn’t.

When Jason Collins stepped onto the court for the Brooklyn Nets in February 2014, people noticed something unusual almost immediately. His jersey read 98. Not a classic basketball number. Not a star number. Not the kind of number fans usually associate with banners, shoe deals, or highlight reels.

At first, many people assumed it was random. Some thought it was simply the only jersey available. Others barely gave it a second thought. But Jason Collins did not choose that number by accident.

The Number That Meant Something More

Jason Collins had already made history before most fans fully understood why his jersey mattered so much. He was a 7-foot center with a steady presence, a veteran who had spent years in the league doing the hard work that rarely made headlines. Then, in 2013, he became the first openly gay athlete to play in one of the major American team sports.

That alone was enough to make his comeback with the Nets emotional. But the number on his back added another layer of meaning.

In 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old college student, was attacked in Wyoming and left to die because he was gay. His death shocked the country and became one of the most painful reminders of how dangerous prejudice can be. Later, his story helped push conversations that led to stronger hate crimes protections in the United States.

Jason Collins chose 98 to honor Matthew Shepard.

Some numbers are just numbers. Others carry memory, grief, and responsibility.

What People Didn’t See at First

When Jason Collins first signed with the Brooklyn Nets, the team gave him number 46 because it was available. That would have been an ordinary detail in an ordinary sports story. But Jason Collins wanted something else. He requested 98 afterward, and once people learned why, the number took on a weight no one could ignore.

Jason Collins was not trying to create a marketing moment. He was not trying to be dramatic. He was making a statement through something as simple, and as visible, as a jersey number.

That is what made it powerful. Every time Jason Collins stood on the court, the message was there for anyone willing to notice. Basketball fans were watching a tall, veteran center play in a league built on tradition, but they were also witnessing something bigger than sports.

A Quiet Act With a Loud Message

Jason Collins once wrote, “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.”

That quote matters because it captures the tone of everything Jason Collins did. He was not loud in the way people often expect public figures to be. He was thoughtful. Measured. Serious about what his visibility meant. And by wearing 98, Jason Collins turned a private act of remembrance into a public symbol of compassion and courage.

For some fans, the number was confusing at first. For others, it became unforgettable. Once they learned the story, they understood that Jason Collins was carrying more than a jersey. He was carrying history.

Why Number 98 Stuck With People

Most NBA fans can tell you what number Michael Jordan wore, what number Kobe Bryant wore, and what number LeBron James wears. Those numbers are tied to championships, greatness, and the language of basketball mythology.

But number 98 stood for something different. It stood for memory. It stood for visibility. It stood for a young man whose life ended too soon, and for an athlete willing to make sure that story was not forgotten.

There is something deeply human about that choice. Sports often celebrate winning, but sometimes the most meaningful moments come from remembrance and honesty. Jason Collins understood that. He understood that the court could be more than a place for points and rebounds. It could also be a place where a message travels farther than any microphone could carry it.

The Story Behind the Jersey

Jason Collins passed away on May 12, 2026, at age 47, after battling stage 4 glioblastoma. His death brought sadness to fans who remembered not only his game, but also the dignity he brought to everything he represented.

And that is why number 98 still matters.

It was never random. It was a tribute, a warning against forgetting, and a quiet promise that the past would not be erased by time or applause. Jason Collins wore it with purpose, and in doing so, he gave one number a meaning that reached far beyond basketball.

Most people saw a jersey.

But Jason Collins was telling a story.

And once you know the reason, you never see 98 the same way again.