Jason Collins reveals Stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis, says tumor cannot be removed via surgery

Former NBA player Jason Collins has Stage 4 glioblastoma. Collins — who in 2013 became the first openly gay active player in a men's North American sports league —revealed his diagnosisto ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Collins' diagnosis comes months after his family announced he was dealing with a brain tumor. They did not provide additional details at the time, asking for "support and prayers."

Collins, 47, explained that his family intentionally put out a vague statement, as it wanted to protect his privacy while he was "mentally unable to speak for myself." Collins said he first started experiencing symptoms in the summer, but tried to fight through them at first. But things came to a head in August, when Collins couldn't focus enough to pack for a trip to the US Open with his husband.

After undergoing a CT scan, it was determined Collins had Stage 4 glioblastoma. Given the shape of his cancer, it could not be fully removed without Collins coming out of surgery "different," he told ESPN.

Since his tumor can't be operated on, Collins said the standard prognosis is "only 11 to 14 months."

"Because my tumor is unresectable, going solely with the 'standard of care' — radiation and TMZ — the average prognosis is only 11 to 14 months. If that's all the time I have left, I'd rather spend it trying a course of treatment that might one day be a new standard of care for everyone."

He vowed to seek out new, inventive treatment methods in the hopes that he can find something that helps him, or helps the next person diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma. Due to his NBA career, Collins said money was not an issue and that he's willing to go anywhere in the world to seek treatment.

Collins drew parallels to when he decided to come out as gay. In both scenarios, he might be able to help people he's never met, Collins explained.

"After I came out, someone I really respect told me that my choice to live openly could help someone who I might never meet. I've held onto that for years. And if I can do that again now, then that matters."

Collins was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He never played for the franchise, however, as he was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Collins spent a total of 13 seasons in NBA, seeing time with six different franchises.

The majority of his time came with the Nets, which he later joined during his final NBA season. He saw time in 22 games during the 2013-14 season, averaging 7.8 minutes per game in Brooklyn. At the end of the season, Collins announced his retirement from the NBA.

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

Jason Collins reveals Stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis, says tumor cannot be removed via surgery

Former NBA player Jason Collins has Stage 4 glioblastoma. Collins — who in 2013 became the first openly gay active player in a men's No...

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Florida's capital city approves plan to sell golf course built on slaves' graves, despite outcry

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Local officials in Florida's capital city have voted to sell a city-owned golf course built on top of the graves of enslaved people to a once-segregated country club, despitevocal oppositionfrom local residents and historians.

Evidence of Florida's slave-holding past lies just beneath the surface of the manicured greens of the Capital City Country Club in one of Tallahassee's most sought-after neighborhoods, in the form of thelong-lost burial groundsof enslaved people who lived and died on the plantation that once sprawled with cotton there.

The Tallahassee City Commission voted 3 to 2 on Wednesday to sell the publicly owned 178-acre (72-hectare) golf course to the politically connected country club for $1.255 million.

The graves beneath the golf course

Back in 2019, archaeologists with the National Park Service identified what they believe to be 23 unmarked graves and 14 possible graves near the 7th hole of the golf course, which is semiprivate and currently operates on city-owned land.

Across the country, many thousands of unmarked andforgotten cemeteriesofenslaved peopleareat riskof being lost, as descendants and volunteers fight development and indifference.

The deal has reopened painful wounds from Tallahassee's segregated past and reignited concerns from local activists, who questioned the city's yearslong delay in building a commemorative site to preserve and protect the unmarked graves, more than four years after the commission voted to do so.

"Like so many other Black people in United States, I'm a descendant of slaves. I don't have the ability to visit the graves of my ancestors. I don't have the luxury to even know most of their names. I don't know their history. And that's why I'm so strong in opposing the sale," said Justin Jordan, a student at Florida A&M University, a public historically Black university in the city.

The terms of the deal

At the time when the real estate deal previously came up at a commission meeting in October, no work had been done on the memorial. Since then, the city has installed a historic marker and cleared paths near the burial grounds, while golfers continue their games on the rolling hills of the course.

Under the terms of the deal, the live oak tree-lined property — prime real estate less than a mile from the Florida's Capitol building — must remain an 18-hole golf course and not be developed. About $98,000 of the proceeds of the sale will fund the city's construction of the commemorative site for the burial grounds, with public access to the memorial guaranteed, on the condition that residents don't "interfere with any active golf game."

As part of the deal, the country club has also committed to hosting FAMU's golf team for practices and collegiate competitions, and the school's board of trustees has endorsed the agreement.

Still, some residents remain skeptical about selling the land to what was once a whites-only club, and they questioned the price tag for the sprawling parcel, given its potential for future development.

The country club, which according to a 2023 tax filing listed Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier as its vice president, has long played host to power players in the city.

"Are we going down the path of a golf course that's a Mar-a-Lago 2 in Leon County? I'm not even joking," said Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who voted against the sale.

Matlow didn't mention Uthmeier by name, but he referenced the club's "heavy hitters" and "attorney generals" with "connections with President Trump" in his concerns around privatizing the land.

A spokesperson for Uthmeier did not respond to questions about his current relationship to the club.

A history of segregation

Over the decades, the land has bounced back and forth between public and private ownership, with the club paying the city a nominal $1 a year in rent for the past nearly 70 years.

That lease has been in place since 1956, when the club reverted to private ownership, allowing it to sidestep a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that banned the segregation of public parks and recreational facilities. Among the club's former members was a judge whose nomination to the nation's highest court failed after he faced questions about whether he helped privatize the club to avoid integration.

Ultimately, the deal won support from a majority of commissioners, including the board's two Black members.

Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox spoke of moving beyond the city's past and reinvesting the revenue back into public services.

"When we talk about considering the racist, segregationist history of this country club, OK," she said. "Get in line with all the other things that we've had to overcome to be able to move forward."

Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.Report for Americais a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

Florida's capital city approves plan to sell golf course built on slaves' graves, despite outcry

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Local officials in Florida's capital city have voted to sell a city-owned golf course built ...

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French tennis pro Quentin Folliot receives 20-year suspension for alleged match-fixing

The International Tennis Integrity Agency has suspended French pro Quentin Folliot for 20 years for alleged match-fixing.

Folliot will be fined $70,000 and forced to return $44,000 in "corrupt payments," after he was found to have committed 27 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, the ITIA announced Thursday.

French tennis player Quentin Folliot has been suspended for 20 years following 27 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.https://t.co/MqgnJkzYzEpic.twitter.com/gcnePIV3I9

— International Tennis Integrity Agency (@itia_tennis)December 11, 2025

As a central figure in what the ITIA is calling a tennis match-fixing syndicate, Folliot was initially hit with 30 charges spread over 11 matches between 2022 and 2024. The 26-year-old Frenchman's highest rank came in August 2022 at No. 488. His official career earnings are $60,047.

In a statement, the ITIA said:

"Contriving the outcome of matches, receiving money to not give best efforts for betting purposes, offering money to other players to fix matches, provision of inside information, conspiracy to corrupt, failure to co-operate with an ITIA investigation, and destruction of evidence."

A provisional suspension was already being served by Folliot since May 2024. The time he's already served in suspension will be counted toward the 20-year ban. Folliot will be eligible to compete again on May 16, 2044, at the age of 45.

Aside from Folliot,five other players have been suspended this year for violating the TACP, although his has been the most severe. Natthasith Kunsuwan, Jaimee Floyd Angele, Christian Lindell, Samuel Bensoussan and Lucas Boquet have all been suspended for violating the TACP. Kunsuwan's punishment has been the harshest outside of Folliot's, as the suspension is 12 years with a fine of $75,000.

Suspended players are barred from competing, coaching or attending ITIA-authorized tennis events. This includes the ATP, WTA and the four major tournaments.

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

French tennis pro Quentin Folliot receives 20-year suspension for alleged match-fixing

The International Tennis Integrity Agency has suspended French pro Quentin Folliot for 20 years for alleged match-fixing. Folliot will be ...

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Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson to reprise their roles for new 'Hunger Games' movie 'Sunrise on the Reaping'

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are returning to the world of Panem to reprise their roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from the originalHunger Gamesfilms for the prequel,The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,multipleoutletsreported.

Lionsgate will release the new film, which is adapted from author Suzanne Collins's dystopian novel of the same name, in theaters on Nov. 20, 2026.

Sunrise on the Reapingis set 24 years before Katniss and Peeta stepped onto the deadly field as reluctant tributes representing District 12. Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), who was the sole surviving victor of previous Hunger Games from District 12, served as a mentor for Katniss and Peeta.

The story ofSunrisefocuses on 16-year-old Haymitch, portrayed by Joseph Zada, as he fights to survive his own Hunger Games — all while refusing to bend the knee to the ruthless Capitol, which selects twice the number of tributes. Haymitch and 47 other children are sent into the deadly arena.

While no specifics have been released about Lawrence and Hutcherson's roles in the upcoming movie, Collins'sSunrise on the Reapingnovel has a flash-forward scene with a grown Katniss and Peeta, where Haymitch recounts his experience in the Hunger Games to them.

Hutcherson toldVarietyin November, "I would love to be back on set with [director] Francis [Lawrence], with Jen, with Liam, with Woody [Harrelson]," the star said. "It would not take any convincing at all. I'd be there in a heartbeat."

Sunrise on the Reapingis the sixth movie in the Hunger Games franchise and comes after the 2023 adaptation ofThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which starred Tom Blyth as a young President Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, a singer forced to compete in the Hunger Games.

Lionsgate dropped astar-studdedteaser for the new movie back in November, including Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket and Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle.

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson to reprise their roles for new 'Hunger Games' movie 'Sunrise on the Reaping'

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are returning to the world of Panem to reprise their roles as Katniss Everdeen and ...

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Connie Francis’ 1962 Song 'Pretty Little Baby' Becomes TikTok’s 2025 Top Global Track 5 Months After Singer's Death

Screen Archives/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• TikTok names Connie Francis' 1962 song "Pretty Little Baby" its Top Global Song of 2025 after it's used in more than 28.4 million posts.

• Videos featuring the track have surpassed 68.6 billion views, including Kylie Jenner's clip with Stormi, which alone draws over 132 million views.

• Francis joined TikTok in 2025 and said she was "flabbergasted and excited" that a song she recorded 63 years earlier was still captivating new audiences

Connie Francis'1962 ballad "Pretty Little Baby" found new life more than six decades after its release when TikTok named it the platform's Top Global Song of 2025. The track, which never cracked the Billboard Hot 100, resonated with millions of users around the world.

According to TikTok'syear-end report, the song was used in more than 28.4 million videos in 2025 alone. The platform described it as "the perfect soundtrack for wholesome videos featuring family members, pets, relationships and flowers."

Archive Photos/Getty

Those videos generated more than 68.6 billion views, with onestandout clipfrom Kylie Jenner and her daughter Stormi pulling in over 132 million views. The surge first gained momentum in May, when the song topped the TikTok Music Charts with more than 1.3 million posts.

The unexpected revival deeply moved Francis, who admitted to PEOPLE shebarely rememberedrecording the song in 1962.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't even remember the song!" she shared in May before her death in July. "I had to listen to it to remember. To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is touching the hearts of millions of people is truly awesome. It is an amazing feeling."

At the height of its viral moment, she said she "never thought it was possible" for her song to gain such traction so many years later.

"It's a dream come true. To think that kindergarten kids now know my name and my music? It's just thrilling!" she said.

Francis later joined TikTok herself, addressing fans directly in herfirst poston the platform. "I'm flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of 'Pretty Little Baby' is making all over the world," she said, adding that its renewed popularity was "truly overwhelming."

The track originally appeared on Francis' albumConnie Francis Sings Second Hand Love & Other Hitsand was one of 40 songs she recorded during several sessions over four days in August 1961. Although it was never a chart hit in its original run, TikTok's embrace turned it into her most-streamed song.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"Pretty Little Baby" went on to earn more than 130 million streams on Spotify and spent weeks on both the Billboard Global 200 and the U.K. Official Chart. Multiple official audios on TikTok served as the soundtrack to millions of videos, while countless shorter clips continued to spread the song further.

Francis, a trailblazer of the 1950s and 1960s and the first woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, witnessed the late-career renaissance beforeher deathon July 16, 2025. She was 87, leaving behind a legacy newly embraced by a generation discovering her voice for the first time.

Read the original article onPeople

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

Connie Francis’ 1962 Song 'Pretty Little Baby' Becomes TikTok’s 2025 Top Global Track 5 Months After Singer's Death

Screen Archives/Getty NEED TO KNOW TikTok names Connie Francis' 1962 song "Pretty Little Baby" its Top Global Song of 2025 ...

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Director convicted of scamming $11M from Netflix and going on lavish spending spree

NEW YORK (AP) — A Hollywood director was convicted Thursday on charges that he scammedNetflixout of $11 million for a show that never materialized, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about $1 million in mattresses and luxury bedding.

Carl Erik Rinsch, best known for directing the film "47 Ronin," was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering and other charges, according to court records and a spokesperson for federal prosecutors in New York.

In a statement, Rinsch's attorney, Benjamin Zeman, said he thought the verdict was wrong and "could set a dangerous precedent for artists who become embroiled in contractual and creative disputes with their benefactors, in this case one of the largest media companies in the world, finding themselves indicted by the federal government for fraud."

Prosecutors said Netflix had initially paid Rinsch about $44 million for an unfinished sci-fi show called "White Horse," and then sent over an another $11 million after he said he needed additional funding to wrap up the production.

But instead of putting the money toward the show, Rinsch steered the cash to a personal account where he made a series of failed investments, losing around half of the $11 million in a couple months, according to prosecutors.

He then put the remaining funds into the cryptocurrency market, netting some profit, though Rinsch then deposited the money into his own bank account.

Then came the lavish purchases, prosecutors said, with Rinsch buying five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari, along with $652,000 on watches and clothes. He also bought two mattresses for about $638,000 and spent another $295,000 on luxury bedding and linens. In addition, he used some of the money to pay off about $1.8 million in credit card bills, prosecutors said.

Rinsch, 48, never finished the show. His sentencing date is set for April.

Netflix declined to comment.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, in a statement, said Rinsch "took $11 million meant for a TV show and gambled it on speculative stock options and crypto transactions."

"Today's conviction shows that when someone steals from investors, we will follow the money and hold them accountable," Clayton said.

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

Director convicted of scamming $11M from Netflix and going on lavish spending spree

NEW YORK (AP) — A Hollywood director was convicted Thursday on charges that he scammedNetflixout of $11 million for a sho...

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Why was Sherrone Moore arrested? What to know about ex-Michigan coach

Editor's Note:This story has been with new information.

Sherrone Moorewasfired at the University of Michiganon Wednesday, Dec. 10, after the university found "credible evidence" of him being "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member."

In the immediate hours following Moore's dismissal from Michigan, the Saline Police Department then assisted the Pittsfield Township Policein detaining the ex-Wolverines coach, according to reports. He remains in custody at the Washtenaw County Jail in Michigan, after being booked at 8:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 10, according to online court records.

SHERRONE MOORE UPDATES:Follow latest news, updates on former Michigan coach

The 39-year-old coach took over theWolverinesprogram in 2024 after Jim Harbaugh left Michigan to coach the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers following the 2024 College Football Playoff championship game.

Here's what to know on why Moore was arrested:

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore shakes hands with place kicker Dominic Zvada (96) after an extra point against Washington during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.

Moore, the former Michigan football coach fired on Dec. 10, 2025, was arrested hours after he was relieved of his duties.

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See fired Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore's career on the field

Michigan head coach Sherrone Mooreshakes hands with place kicker Dominic Zvada (96) after an extra point against Washington during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.Moore,the former Michigan football coach fired on Dec. 10, 2025, was arrested hours after he was relieved of his duties.

Why was Sherrone Moore arrested?

In a statement released on Dec. 10,the Pittsfield Police Department said it responded to a call at 4:10 p.m. ET "for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault." The statement also confirmed an unnamed suspect had been taken into custody.

Moore's name was not mentioned in the statement.

"This incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community," the Pittsfield Police Department said in a statement. "The suspect was lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail pending review of charges by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor. At this time, the investigation is ongoing."

According to online court records, Moore was booked into Washtenaw County Jail in Michigan at 8:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 10.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Dec. 11that wasobtained by the Detroit Free Press,part of the USA TODAY Network, the Washtenaw County Court said no paperwork has been filed in the court regarding Moore's booking.

The statement acknowledged that the court is aware of a "pending investigation regarding Sherrone Moore" but added there is no timetable for when it "will receive the necessary paperwork" regarding his case.

"The matter involving Mr. Moore remains under active investigation by law enforcement, and as a result, we do not expect charging decisions or an arraignment today. Mr. Moore remains in custody at the Washtenaw County Jail," Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit said in a statement.

Sherrone Moore charges

Moore is not expected to be charged on Dec. 11, per statements from Savit and the Washtenaw County Court. Online court records did not list bond information, scheduled release date or court appearances for Moore as of 10:02 a.m. ET on Dec. 11.

What did Sherrone Moore do?

Michigan released a statement at 4:43 p.m. ET on Dec. 10 that it hadfired Moore with causeafter a University investigation found credible evidence against Moore that he was "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member."

"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately. Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior," Michigan athletic department Warde Manuel said in a Dec. 10 statement.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Why was Sherrone Moore arrested? What to know on fired Michigan coach

byVincento Seyarto

in

December 11, 2025

Why was Sherrone Moore arrested? What to know about ex-Michigan coach

Editor's Note:This story has been with new information. Sherrone Moorewasfired at the University of Michigan...

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