Let’s raise a mimosa (or three) to love, progress, and perfectly timed Disney duets.
In what could easily be mistaken for the plot of a heartwarming Netflix rom-com (the good kind, not the ones with the aggressively straight misunderstandings), NBA trailblazer Jason Collins has officially married his longtime partner, film producer Brunson Green. The ceremony took place in the sun-dappled charm of Austin, Texas—a state that has been a bit of a mixed bag for the LGBTQ+ community but, on this particular weekend, was ground zero for gay joy.
Yes, Jason Collins—the first out gay active NBA player—who came out in Sports Illustrated back in 2013 with the quiet power of a man ready to stop hiding, just celebrated the love of his life in a ceremony as joyful as it was meaningful.
And because no good gay wedding is complete without a little razzle-dazzle, the couple brought in Texas-based drag queens Nadine Hughes and Alysha Pretty to perform at their rehearsal dinner. The Extragrams! duo delivered a side-splitting rendition of “A Whole New World” from Aladdin that surely had everyone believing in fairytales again—sequins, harmonies, and all.
As for the love story? It’s got just the right mix of serendipity and gay longing. Collins told Sports Illustrated in 2023:
“I was dating another guy at the time. I didn’t see Brunson again until we ran into each other at a party three months later. By that point, I was single again.”
From there, it unfolded like the kind of rom-com that actually gets representation right:
“Brunson left for Europe the following day, and, while he was overseas, I asked everyone I knew in L.A., ‘Have you heard of this guy?’”
They confirmed their relationship publicly in 2014, and nearly a decade later, got engaged at the Los Angeles Lakers Pride Night in 2023. Yes, a sports event. With pride. And a proposal. You truly love to see it.
RELATED: The LA Lakers Celebrated Pride By Honoring Former NBA Player Jason Collins
Reflecting on his coming out journey, Collins shared how transformative it was:
“There’s a stress that you walk around with constantly when you’re in the closet. When I came out, it was like I’d ripped off a Band-Aid. There was so much support from fans and teammates, so many new friends that I made, and I thought, Why didn’t I do this sooner?”
Why indeed. But if there’s one thing queer people know, it’s that the path to happiness isn’t always linear—it’s a winding road of resilience, hope, and sometimes, drag queens singing Disney ballads.
Congratulations to Jason and Brunson, who remind us all that love doesn’t just win. It gets a standing ovation and sings the final note.
And that, friends, is what happily ever after looks like.