Nets' Jason Collins says he was taunted by opposing player

Nets center Jason Collins provides the team rebounds and toughness inside the paint. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins says he was a victim of gay taunts by an opposing player recently, but did nothing in retaliation, instead calling that player a "knucklehead."

Collins is the first openly gay athlete to play in one of North America’s four major team sports. The Nets signed Collins to a 10-day contract on Feb. 23 to help bolster their frontcourt and signed him to another deal last week, keeping him with the team for the remainder of the season.

Collins refused to name the player who taunted him or the team he plays for.

"One player, one knucklehead from another team," Collins said to the New York Daily News. "He's a knucklehead. So I just let it go. Again, that goes back to controlling what you can control. That's how I conduct myself -- just being professional."

Collins has played in 10 games this season, averaging 8.4 minutes a contest.

"You can't control what other people are going to do," Collins said. "And still have your life on the court or on the field or on the ice, I guess, in hockey. That's a credit to my teammates and the entire Nets organization -- from ownership to coaching to teammates to everyone."

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