Warriors President & COO Rick Welts nearly got “into $200 worth of trouble” when he was called “to give him a heads-up” about Wizards C Jason Collins’ pending announcement he was coming out as gay, according to Tim Reynolds of the AP. Welts, who two years ago publically revealed he was gay, was “driving, and not using a hands-free device that California law dictates,” and was pulled over. But Welts said that he was “let out of the costly ticket after telling his story to the California Highway Patrol officer.” Welts afterward said, "Thanks, Jason." Meanwhile, Wizards Owner Ted Leonsis yesterday talked with Collins. Leonsis said he told him, "We are proud of you and I support you in every way possible" (AP, 4/29). Welts said, "I think we are marching toward an inevitability here. It's happening very fast and unfolding around us as we speak." He added, "A lot more doors will open than close for Jason. I think he'll be very smart about it. That Stanford degree will come in handy" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/30). More Welts: “I’m very happy for him. He’s going to be able to be the complete Jason Collins every day for the rest of his life. I think he probably knows what he signed up for. He’s going to face a whole bunch more television cameras and reporters than he probably has over the course of the last couple seasons. But clearly, it’s somebody who’s given this a lot of thought.” Welts said of the issue in men’s pro sports, “We’re lagging behind where our society is on this issue. To some degree, we caught up a little bit today” (USA TODAY, 4/30).
