LOS ANGELES -- Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets says he has received a text message from Billie Jean King and other messages of support since becoming the first openly gay athlete to play in one of the United States four major professional leagues. Lance Alworth Jersey . Collins says the text from the former tennis great was "very meaningful and very much appreciated." Collins spoke before the Nets practised at UCLA on Tuesday. They resume their road trip with a game at Portland on Wednesday night. Collins signed a 10-day contract on Sunday and played 10 scoreless minutes in a victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. He revealed at the end of last season that he is gay, but was a free agent and had remained unsigned until the Nets needed another big man. Dan Feeney Jersey .com) - Jeff Teague finished with a game-high 26 points and eight assists as the Atlanta Hawks held off the Utah Jazz, 98-92, on Friday. Joe Barksdale Jersey . DArnaud hit one of three doubles for the Mets as they took a 4-0 lead in the first. Then the catchers seventh home run of the season broke the game open in the fifth. The 41-year-old Colon (10-8) retired the first 20 batters in his last outing Wednesday against Seattle, eventually allowing two runs on three hits in 7 1-3 innings in a 3-2 win.FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS: 1. KEMBA WALKER (Bobcats): Walker is a little man with a huge heart. There are certain guys you come across in this gamewho just have that little extra something in their make-up and hes one of those guys. His team was down 16 in the second half against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night and he just willed his team to victory. He took over and dominated the game at the point of attack. You think back to his wonderful collegiate career at Connecticut and his ups and downs as a pro, playing for a less-than-stellar team. You cant keep him down for long. Hes become a respectable three-point shooter now and its opened his game up even more. There is still lots of room for improvement, but you wont find many guys in the game today who have his competitive spirit. I respect the guy. 2. MIAMI HEAT: I dont care what they say, but that was a necessary win for them last night against the Indiana Pacers. You dont want to let your top conference opponent have too much belief or confidence when it comes to the match-up. When youre the world champions, act like it and play like it and they did. It sets the tone for how you want to be viewed during the rest of the season around the league. Last year doesnt matter a bit anymore. Its all about the now and this win helps both in the short and long term. 3. ANDRE DRUMMOND (Pistons): I must confess that every day Im checking out Detroits box scores and watching their games when I have a free night. Drummond is simply fun to watch. Im not sure yet how much he truly knows how to play the game in all respects, but hess incredibly talented and gifted. Rayshawn Jenkins Jersey. On Wednesday night, he had another double-double with 14 points and 16 boards, eight of them offensive rebounds, against the Boston Celtics. Hes got major league, elite rebounding ability and he has the chance to be an impactful defender once he figures out schemes and tendencies of opponents. He can change shots in the lane at a high level and hes got two significant talents that directly change how you have to play as an opponent. 4. VINCE CARTER (Mavericks): Ill see him Friday night in Dallas and just cant believe its been 16 years since his rookie year with the Toronto Raptors. I feel old since its my 16th year as well as a Raptors broadcaster. Hes had the much better career, thats for sure. Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies he had 14 points, four rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes. For a 16-year vet, hes still got game left and really knows how to play. Carter is a good teammate and fits Rick Carlisles system well. You see so many guys fall off the cliff when they get to this stage of their career, so its impressive that hes still able to play at a respectable level. 5. JJ BAREA (Timberwolves): It was a huge win for Minnesota over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Barea comes in and gives you something every game. On Wednesday, he put up 10 points along with five assists in the victory. He plays with great energy and determination when he plays and hes very difficult to keep out of the lane. Barea possesses good ball skills and shot-making ability. Hes undersized, but not undeterred. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaNFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '