Jason Collins: I came out to the Clintons before SI cover

Former NBA center Jason Collins said Monday he revealed his sexual orientation privately to the Clintons before publicly for Sports Illustrated.

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Former NBA center Jason Collins said Monday he privately revealed his sexual orientation to Hillary and Bill Clinton before publicly announcing it in Sports Illustrated.

Collins made the reveal while speaking alongside his brother Jarron at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Collins came out as the NBA’s first openly gay player in April 2013, making the announcement in a letter in Sports Illustrated. Collins was 34 at the time, and 12 years into his NBA career.

#DNCinPHL #update: The NBA's first openly gay player, @jasoncollins98, and his twin brother, Jarron, speak. https://t.co/H2EoOoWfOI

— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) July 26, 2016

The former Stanford star played one more season after his announcement, signing with the Brooklyn Nets. Collins retired in 2014. His brother, who also spoke Monday, is currently an assistant with the Golden State Warriors.