It only took a few hours for the NBA’s heart to be sunk twice. Former NBA star and revolutionary athlete Jason Collins and Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke passed away. Both stood for something. Collins was fighting Stage 4 glioblastoma, while Clarke was the representation of a model teammate. Their sudden demise hit the league hard. Tributes poured in before the Spurs-Timberwolves Game 5.

Today, the legends spoke about the hard-hitting deaths. Charles Barkley celebrated Collins’ life. He was the first NBA athlete to come out, and helped break the stigma attached to the situation. Barkley commended his courage, especially knowing how difficult it must have been.

“I hate the way this story ended because he was a shining example of ‘Do you man’… For him to come out, it was great. Obviously, you know a lot of times, especially in the black community, when you’re gay, you get treated awful and that sucks too. But I was proud of him for coming out,” Barkley said about Jason Collins.

Chuck respected the former Nets forward for taking such a bold step in 2013. Getting the news about his demise “sucked”, and Barkley felt the same sadness for Brandon Clarke. “Obviously, I’m very sensitive on the drug situation and man, you guys got to stay away from that stuff. I know that’s easier said than done… It ain’t just about you, man. You got a family out there… Man, it’s a terrible loss for him and his family. Same thing yeah. It just sucks. It was a tough day for the NBA,” said Charles Barkley.

Clarke was only 29 years old, expected to play a major role in reviving the Grizzlies. His 2025-26 campaign was hit with lower-body injuries, limiting him to only two appearances. But Brandon Clarke played with toughness and heart, a trait that saw the Grizzlies’ rampant rise. Barkley felt immense pain that substance use, something Clarke did struggle with, led to such extreme consequences.

His Inside the NBA co-analyst Shaquille O’Neal actually knew Jason Collins and his twin brother, Jarron. They met each other in high school. And similar to Barkley, the Big Diesel spoke with reverence when remembering Collins.

“We only live one lifetime and you must always speak your truth. And he spoke his truth. I’m proud about that. But overall, he was a great human being. Brother is a great human being, comes from a great family, and again, my condolences go out to the family,” Shaq said on Inside the NBA.

Jaren Jackson Jr’s emotional tribute to Brandon Clarke

Both losses took an emotional toll on the league. Adam Silver felt ‘devastated’, losing two members of the adopted family. The NBA, as a community, united to share their tributes for both Jason Collins and Brandon Clarke. In the latter’s case, his death was a hard pill to swallow for his current and former teammates.

Clarke was a strong locker room presence in Memphis. Ja Morant, a mercurial star, played fearless basketball with the power forward. He posted a series of pictures on his Instagram stories to celebrate Clarke. It “hurt” knowing he wouldn’t see his brother in the locker room again.

Jaren Jackson Jr. felt the same way. He wasn’t going to be teammates with Clarke, having been traded to the Jazz. However, JJJ connected with the Grizzlies forward. “I couldn’t imagine a world where this was even a possibility. I love you forever, brother. This is absolutely devastating. I just wish I could talk to you,” he wrote in an Instagram post.

The short layoff between both deaths has left the NBA family crushed. Nobody expected to get such devastating news. It still doesn’t feel real, and it’s going to be hard to move on from it. Jackson and many former and current NBA players must have felt the same way: “I will never have the words to describe what this feels like,” the former Grizzlies forward wrote.