Doc Rivers said he's proud of former Boston Celtics center Jason Collins for coming out as the first openly gay professional athlete active in a major American team sport.
Doc Rivers said he's proud of former Boston Celtics center Jason Collins for coming out as the first openly gay professional athlete active in a major American team sport, and would love to see the free agent Collins on an NBA roster next season.
"I never thought it was going to be an issue," the Celtics head coach told Sports Illustrated. "I thought it would eventually happen, and people would talk about it for awhile, and then it would go away. I'm really proud of Jason. He still can play. He'll be active in our league, I hope, and we can get by this -- get past this. I think it would be terrific for the league. More than anything, it would just be terrific for mankind, my gosh."
Rivers said he's happy Collins doesn't have to hide part of his personality anymore.
"I never gave it a thought, I could care less," said Rivers. "Every once in awhile you would hear about it from a player or a coach, but listen to me -- I was brought up better than that. I don't care. It never registered. I could care less.
"Why do so many people care? It's no one's business what you do. I've always felt that way and I've always had a strong belief about that -- that it's your preference, and so what? You can like who you choose to like, and you can love who you choose to love. That's the way it should be. The thing that should be celebrated is that two people love each other, and that's a good thing."
"If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept," Rivers added in a statement released by the Celtics. "It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, 'I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be its not up to you, it’s just me being me.'"