Meet Isaac Humphries, the Pro Basketball Player Who Came Out As Gay

24-year-old Isaac Humphries, who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) over the course of his professional career, has now come out as a gay man.

Humphries was born in Sydney, Australia and started his basketball career playing for the Sydney Kings. He went on to join other teams and clubs, like the Kosarkaski klub FMP and the Erie BayHawks, before finally getting to the NBA by playing for the Atlanta Hawks in 2019 and for the Lakeland Magic in 2020. In recent years, Humphries returned to Australia and signed on with teams such as the Adelaide 36ers and the Melbourne United.

On Wednesday, November 16, Humphries wrote an op-ed for CNN where he detailed his career in basketball and came out as gay. Though he always loved the experience of playing basketball, he constantly came back to an empty home, feeling like he had no choice but to be alone. This ultimately caused him to fall into a depressive state. "Over my entire career, there was no reality that existed where I could be an openly gay man while playing basketball," he wrote. "Until now."

He continued: "You can be a gay man and an elite basketball player in one of the best leagues in the world. I'm living proof of that. My journey to get to this point in my life was harder than it should've been, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Without those dark points, I wouldn't have been thrust into situations where I had to explore, discover, and learn to accept who I really am."

We're always excited for more LGBTQ+ representation in sports, as young queer people will feel more included and encouraged to pursue a career in a sport that they might be passionate about.

Scroll through to see pictures of Isaac Humphries - and make sure to follow him on Instagram at @isaachumphries7.

All photos by @isaachumphries7 on Instagram.

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