Jimmy Kimmel has a good idea for people to tell apart a famous set of NBA brothers, giving one Collins twin a shirt that read “I’m the straight one” to set him apart from his groundbreaking sibling.
A few weeks after Jarron Collins’ brother Jason Collins became the first openly gay male athlete in a major American sport, the brothers taped a segment of on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
To help tell the identical twins apart, Kimmel gave a gift to the other Collins twin — a shirt that says “I’m the straight one.”
Jarron, who retired from the NBA in 2011 after a 10-year career, was seen wearing his new T-shirt as he left Kimmel’s studio.
Jason wrote a story for Sports Illustrated in April telling about how decided it was time to come out to the world. Collins has bounced around many teams in the NBA, playing most recently for the Washington Wizards. He is now a free agent and faces an uncertain future, but could see another NBA season thanks to his 7-foot stature and excellent defense.
Though Collins got messages of encouragement from fellow players, celebrities, and politicians, his announcement still came as a surprise to many close to him.
Jarron said it was a shock to learn that his twin brother was gay.
“He was very direct about it,” Jarron Collins told Jimmy Kimmel. “He says ‘Jarron, I’m gay’. I heard it, but I didn’t quite register it. And I went about asking some of the dumbest questions you can possible ask someone who just told you they’re gay.”
Jason joked that his brother asked, “Are you sure?”
The Collins twin later tweeted a picture of his “I’m the straight one” shirt, writing: “Thanks to @jimmykimmel for the tshirt parting gift….this ought to clear things up,”
