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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Deron Williams took a moment to snap a few photos of Brooklyn teammate Jason Collins at their shootaround in Portland. He couldnt help it: The NBAs first openly gay player was surrounded by a throng of cameras and microphones, and at least for the next week or so, Collins will be the face of the Nets wherever they go. The 7-footer was signed to a 10-day contract on Sunday. He played in a 108-102 victory over the Lakers that night, with two rebounds, five fouls and a steal in just under 11 minutes. Before Wednesday nights game against the Trail Blazers, Collins said he accepted the both the interest and scrutiny that has come with his return to the league. "Im back playing basketball, so of course Im enjoying this," he said. Collins quietly played seven minutes in the 124-80 loss to the Blazers on Wednesday night, entering after Nets coach Jason Kidd had pulled his starters in the fourth quarter and many of the fans had already headed for the exits. He attempted one field goal. After Portland, the Nets visit Denver, where the attention will become even more intense. The family of slain Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard is expected to make the drive for the game Thursday night against the Nuggets. Shepard was tortured and murdered in 1998 because he was gay. Collins wears his No. 98 jersey in Shepards honour. He wants to keep the details of any meeting with Judy Shepard to himself. "Obviously, its extremely special and Im very much looking forward to meeting them," he said. Collins wore the No. 98 with both the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards for Shepard even before coming out. The jersey wasnt yet ready for the game against the Lakers (he wore a spare jersey with his name hastily added), but he wore No. 98 against the Blazers. "We were very touched," Judy Shepard told the New York Daily News about the jersey. "For him to make that tribute to Matt was meaningful to us." The jersey was already the biggest seller of the day Tuesday on NBAStore.com, and the NBA said it was selling well again Wednesday. The league didnt provide the number of jerseys sold. For all the attention hes getting, Collins is not a distraction for the Nets, who are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, inside the playoff cutoff. "He understands how to play the game the right way, and we saw that in L.A.," Kidd said. Collins publicly announced he was gay last May, and he joins several other athletes to come out, including Robbie Roberts of Major League Soccers Los Angeles Galaxy, Brittney Griner of the WNBAs Phoenix Mercury, and NFL draft hopeful Michael Sam, an All-American defensive end who played at Missouri. Since coming out, Collins has become an advocate for LGBT rights. He was in Portland just last week, appearing before a group thats advocating to get a measure on the November ballot that would legalize gay marriage on Oregon. In 2004, voters passed a measure that amended the state constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Campaign organizers hope to make Oregon the first state to overturn a constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage. Collins said for now, however, he just wants to focus on the Nets. "There are only so many ways you can write the story or tell the story," he said, "and then it will just be about basketball." Nellie Fox Jersey . Kamloops, B.C., the host city of this years Tim Hortons Brier, is where he won his first Canadian mens curling crown in 1996. Luis Aparicio Jersey . Quarterback Drew Willy appeared to injure his throwing hand on the third last play of practice Thursday. http://www.whitesoxteamshop.com/White-So...on-Kids-Jersey/. -- Crystal Webster avoided elimination at the 2013 Capital One Road to the Roar Olympic pre-trial curling tournament with an 8-5 win over Amber Holland on Thursday. Robin Ventura Jersey . Prado stuck his glove down with Colorados Charlie Blackmon sliding into the bag, and quickly jumped back in pain after applying the tag. Prado held his left wrist as trainers came out of the Diamondbacks dugout to check him. Jeff Keppinger Jersey .ca. Hi Kerry, Welcome back! Im sure you heard Peter Forsbergs comments last week regarding Canadian referees in the gold medal game. Seems to me that he was questioning the integrity and impartiality.OAKLAND, Calif. - Free agent designated hitter Billy Butler and the Oakland Athletics have agreed to a $30 million, three-year contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday night.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the As had not announced the deal, their typical practice until a new player passes a physical. Butler would provide a right-handed bat with power who can also play first base.Butler helped the Kansas City Royals reach the World Series last month after a 29-year playoff drought. In the post-season opener, they rallied late to eliminate Oakland in the AL wild-card game. Butler contributed two hits and two RBIs.After losing to the San Francisco Giants in seven games, the Royals declined their $12.5 million option on Butler for next season, making the 2012 All-Star a free agent for the first time in his eight-year career.The Royals, who selected Butler with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 draft, owed him a $1 million buyout.The blog MLB Daily Rumors first reported his deal with the As earlier Tuesday.Oakland used several pplayers at first base this year, including catcher Stephen Vogt when he was dealing with a foot injury that required surgery after the season.ddddddddddddA steady and productive hitter for most of his career, the 28-year-old Butler is coming off a down season. He batted .271 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs in 151 games this year, 108 of those as a DH.Before that, he played at least 158 games in each of the five previous years, including all 162 in 2013.Butlers best season was 2012, when he batted .313 with 29 homers and 107 RBIs. He made the All-Star team that year, when the game was played in Kansas City.He dropped off to 15 homers and 82 RBIs in 2013, then struggled at the plate this year. As the Royals chased a playoff berth during the stretch run, he was regularly held out by manager Ned Yost in late September.Once the Royals qualified for the playoffs, though, Butler returned to the lineup.In his first post-season, he hit .262 (11 for 42) with eight RBIs, three doubles and a stolen base in 13 games as Kansas City won its first pennant since 1985. ' ' '