Argentina’s first openly gay basketball player, Sebastián Vega, celebrates team victory by unfurling LGBTQ+ Pride Flag

Sebastián Vega, the first gay Argentinian professional basketball player, is celebrating after his club, Boca Juniors, were crowned champions of Argentina’s National Basketball League for the fifth time in their history, following a dramatic final victory over Instituto de Córdoba. The celebrations reached an emotional peak when Vega, one of the team’s standout players, climbed onto the hoop and unfurled the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag - a powerful gesture that resonated far beyond the court.

“Young Seba would be so proud of everything I’ve achieved today. It was unthinkable back then, being gay - it just wasn’t possible. There was no one to look up to, no one who had said it or done it before. I had to be the first. It was incredibly tough, there was a lot of pressure, and I still carry a lot that people don’t see. I’m strong, I can handle it, but it’s my family who suffer the most. The most beautiful thing was that when I raised the flag, all the Boca fans applauded. That image will stay with me forever,” said the 37-year-old forward. 

In March 2020, Vega made headlines by becoming the first professional basketball player in Argentina to come out as gay. In a heartfelt public letter, he described the emotional toll of hiding his identity: “I didn’t want to hide anymore. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. But the fear paralysed me. I became withdrawn, isolated myself, and stopped doing things I loved just to avoid suspicion. I cried and cursed myself for years.”

The final against Instituto held special significance - it was the same team Vega faced while playing for Gimnasia de Comodoro, just before he confided a friend and fellow player about his decision to come out. “The most important thing was telling my family. I didn’t want them to hear it from someone else. It was tough at first - it’s a process for them too. My dad struggled a bit more, but he’s come a long way. It’s exhausting having to come out over and over again at every new club. It’s emotionally draining,” he said in 2020.

One of Vega’s greatest fears was being sidelined from the sport. “I was terrified I’d lose my job. That no team would want to sign me because of my sexuality, rather than judging me on my performance.” But instead, he found support - even from basketball legend Manu Ginóbili, who publicly praised his courage. “That he took the time to read my story and show support was incredible. The messages of love and encouragement were overwhelming. I felt so at peace and happy.”

Vega has already won - not just on the court, but in life. The image of him atop the hoop, champion’s net draped around his neck and Pride Flag in hand, was shared by Boca’s official basketball account with a single word: “Pride”.