Catching up with the latest on Derrick Gordon, the 22-year-old University of Massachusetts basketball phenom who became the first active and openly gay player in NCAA Division I history ...
Gordon spoke with Outsports' Cyd Zeigler about coming out. Watch the interview AFTER THE JUMP ...
University of Massachusetts basketball coach Derek Kellogg shared Gordon's coming out story with the Boston Globe.
After Gordon told him, Kellogg paused for only a second before expressing his support. Kellogg showed that support April 2 when it came time to tell the team. With the other players waiting in the locker room, Kellogg could sense Gordon’s nerves starting to build as they approached. That’s when Kellogg decided he would break the ice. Kellogg told the team Gordon was gay, before Gordon quickly jumped in.
"It made things a lot easier," Gordon said. "I was able to tell my story more and express myself a lot more, which was good. They all accepted me. You could see it throughout when I was telling my story, you could some teammates getting a little emotional or whatever because I was speaking from my heart and that they really care about me besides the basketball aspect."
The young player says that Jason Collins' and Michael Sam's history-making announcements inspired him to do the same.
UMass exited from the NCAA Tournament on March 21. Gordon is "fourth on the Minutemen in scoring this season at 9.4 points per game," according to the Globe. Watch the interview AFTER THE JUMP ...
Awesome story!
Posted by: Strongforu | 10 April 2014 at 21:43
This is great! He will be a good role model.
Posted by: Zambos27 | 11 April 2014 at 01:13
Be who you are!! If not, your soul will never be happy!
Posted by: Salia | 11 April 2014 at 09:30
Good for him. He seemed genuinely happy in his interview with ESPN
Posted by: fff | 11 April 2014 at 13:57
welcome OUT!
Posted by: iama{GAY}tekeeper | 11 April 2014 at 16:51
I am so proud of and happy for Derrick. I hope he has a great next season at U Mass. I will try to watch him play. If he wants to go pro, I will root for him there too. What he did is not only an act of courage and strength, but it is also something that will make the world a better place to live in. Especially I think for younger black gay athletes. If I had his address, I would write him. He is gorgeous and a sweetheart too.
Posted by: Jerry | 12 April 2014 at 08:24
YES!!! Thank you Derrick for being brave <3 <3 <3.
Posted by: MW09 | 13 April 2014 at 22:50
I am so proud of him.I wish him all the best & may GOD bless him beyond him wildest dreams
Posted by: Algie | 18 April 2014 at 08:51