The first openly gay player in March Madness history

by Austin Stallings
Journalism Intern

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – Shooting Guard Derrick Gordon of Seton Hall will be making history this March, win or lose. Gordon will be the first openly gay player to compete in the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

According to CBS sports, Gordon, who transferred to Seton Hall before this season, came out as gay in interviews in 2014 while he was playing for Massachusetts. He became the first openly gay player in Division I college basketball.

"I want to be myself," Gordon said in an interview with ESPN at the time. "I don't want to hide and be someone I'm not."

Pirates coach Kevin Willard said there hasn't been as much focus on Gordon's sexuality this season as one might expect.

"I think it was a story when it first happened. But now in today's society, it's great," Willard told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Tuesday. "Derrick came in and he was so easily accepted that it's been such a pleasure to have him on our team. He's our leader of our locker room. He's the leader off the court and on the court. So I think the focus this year for Derrick has been his great basketball ability, what he brings to us on the defensive end, what a great leader he is and what a great person he is."

Sixth-seeded Seton Hall will face 11th-seeded Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament at 9:57 p.m. Thursday in Denver.

The Gayly 03/15/16 @ 4:20 p.m.