Jason Collins Takes on New York City Marathon

NBA veteran Jason Collins will run in the New York City Marathon on Sunday as a member of a 24-person relay team featuring players, executives, broadcasters and other prominent people in men's and women's professional basketball.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who earlier this year said professional sports have progressed too slowly in the evolution of LGBT equality, will run the first three miles in the relay, with retired NBA player Dikembe Mutombo crossing the finish line after 26.2 miles. Collins, whose ties to New York include playing for the Brooklyn Nets last season, will be one of many celebrities taking a mile leg of the race. Each runner will be accompanied by a local student involved with the New York Road Runners' youth programs. The batons will be exchanged at mile markers.

The relay also advocates the "NBA FIT" program, an effort to reach a half million youths in New York City over the course of the season through fitness-related basketball activities.