Jason Collins No. 98 NBA Jersey Is No. 1

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Although he hasn’t even worn it, Jason Collins‘ 98 Brooklyn Nets basketball jersey is number one in sales. Collins, who tonight for the first time will don number 98 actually worn a number 46 jersey when he became the first openly-gay athlete to play in the NBA last week.

“According to a league spokesperson, Collins’ jersey was the top seller at the NBA Store and its website on Tuesday, the first day it was made available,” the NY Daily News reports.

The Nets do not benefit from the extra sales of their players’ jerseys at the NBA Store or on the website. Half of the revenues are split up evenly among league owners, and the other half is split evenly among all players.

Collins chose number 98 to honor Matthew Shepard, who was brutally murdered for being gay in 1998.

“It’s really exciting. I’m really excited for him,” Judy Shepard told the NY Daily News.

“Super excited for him. To bring Matt’s story into it, to continue to keep Matt’s story out there, it reminds people that this is the kind of thing that happens and is still happening, even if we don’t read about it like we used to. It is still happening. We just have to be conscious of it and we just need to be kind to each other. How hard is that?

“We were very touched,” Judy added when asked for her reaction to learning about Collins’ tribute. “For him to make that tribute to Matt was meaningful to us.”

You can get your No. 98 at the NBA store online.

Image: NBA