Former Seton Hall guard Derrick Gordon believes he wasn't allowed to try out for a single NBA team this summer because of his sexuality.

The New Jersey native participated in the Las Vegas combine this past July, an event that's essentially a showcase of talent for international teams. Gordon hoped that his participation at the combine would raise his profile with the NBA.

Though Gordon says he played well, he admitted to the Asbury Park Press, “I didn’t get a fair shot to show what I could do." He added: "It was without a doubt because of the fact that I’m gay. I was heartbroken.”

“Honestly, the NBA is just not ready for an openly gay player right now,” he continued. “Maybe it’s going to take some time for it to get to that point. I’m going to support that person, whoever that is. Right now, in 2016, I don’t see it happening anytime soon.”

For their part, the NBA scouts at the Las Vegas event said Gordon didn't receive a tryout simply because he lacked the talent to earn one, based on "skillset and ability level."

This isn't the first time the basketball player has cited homophobia as a reason for his being slighted by a team.

Gordon was playing for the University of Massachusetts when he came out in an interview in 2014, becoming the first openly gay player in Division I college basketball history. Though he was praised by many for his decision to be open about his sexuality, Gordon says that once he came out, the environment on the team changed for the worse.

It was at this time that he began looking to transfer to a school that would be more accepting of his identity.

The recruiting process proved frustrating, though, as Gordon felt he was being subtly shut out of teams because he was gay.

“During the recruiting process, a number of schools didn’t want me because I’m gay,” Gordon remarked. “To me, that’s blatant homophobia. At the end of the day, no coaches will ever admit that they don’t want me because I’m gay and there’s baggage that comes with the attention."

“Honestly, it caught me off-guard," he confessed. "It really hurt. It had me stressing, crying. I was starting to lose hope. I felt like I was being treated like an outsider, like I didn’t belong in the NCAA.”

Eventually, he found his way to Seton Hall, where he finished up his final season of college play.

As a senior at Seton Hall last year, Gordon averaged 8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1 steal per game. His team, The Pirates, won the Big East tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

Gordon was an essential part of his team's success, which has left many surprised that he was overlooked by the NBA, including his mentor Jason Collins, the only out player in the league, who said he was "disappointed" at the National Basketball Association's dismissal of Gordon.

h/t: CBS