NCAA News Wire
UMass’ Gordon tells team he is gay
Alan is an expert gambling writer who works as one of the chief editors for Basketball Insiders. He has been covering online gambling and sports betting for over 8 years, having written for the likes of Sportlens, Compare.bet, The Sports Daily, 90min, and TopRatedCasinos.co.uk. His particular specialisms include US online casinos and gambling regulations, and soccer and basketball betting. Based in London, Alan holds an MA in English Literature and is a passionate supporter of Chelsea FC.
All posts by Alan DraperUpdated11 hours ago on April 18, 2024
One week ago, University of Massachusetts basketball player Derrick Gordon gathered his teammates to tell them he was gay.
Gordon, a starter who averaged 9.4 points per game last season, had come out to his parents only days before.
But he drew courage from fellow athletes, including Jason Collins and Michael Sam, and said he instantly felt the relief of revealing his true self to those close to him.
“It was a rough process, actually, leading up to this,” Gordon told ESPN. “Those guys just helped me get to where I am right now. If it wasn’t for them, I’d be stuck. For this to be happening right now, me coming out, it’s an indescribable feeling, honestly. I couldn’t be any happier. I feel like I can fly.”
With the team gathered, UMass coach Derek Kellogg, who was the first to know, encouraged teammates to support Gordon.
“We’re all here together, and we need to love each other for who we are,” he said. “One of your family members, your brother, wants to let you know something about himself.”
