Giving One for the Team

Ask his partner, Yaron Avitov. A year ago, Brandon donated one of his kidneys to Yaron’s mother. Tests indicated that Brandon was a suitable donor, showing their tissue match to be one-in-a-million, almost as close as if he were a blood relative. He had some serious thinking to do. “It was a tough decision to make, and one I didn’t take lightly, but in the end I felt it was the right thing to do. I have no regrets,” says Brandon, who’s feeling better than ever and back to his normal self again.

Standing 6’3” and looking like he just walked off the set of a 1940s Hollywood movie, Brandon spends a lot of his time facing the footlights at the Metropolitan Opera. He is a chorister in his fourth season and gives some credit to the old Warner Bros cartoons for his current profession. (Apparently, watching Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny while singing, “Kill the wabbit!” planted a seed that eventually grew into a love for opera.)

Back in his cartoon-watching days, Brandon was not like the other boys. His interests lay less with sports and more in the world of music and entertainment. He focused primarily on the arts (band, chorus, musicals). He says, “Music and singing gave me the confidence to get through many tough times that would have otherwise been insurmountable during junior high and high school. It gave me an identity and it was something I excelled at.” However, he didn’t avoid sports entirely—in fact, he spent many hours playing one-on-one basketball in his driveway with his best friend. “Athletically, I was definitely not so gifted, but always enjoyed the competition and camaraderie. I’m an avid fan of basketball, football and baseball, and have been since I started collecting trading cards as a child.”

Years later, Brandon started playing basketball again—just some pickup games in his building, which has a half-court. A friend mentioned the New York City Gay Basketball League, but Brandon didn’t think it would be a good fit for him. He had never played organized basketball, and he worried that his game wasn’t up to speed. With a lot of encouragement from friends who already played in the league, Brandon finally gave it a shot. “I’ve had to learn some of the finer points about playing—with referees—the hard way, but that’s how you learn. I feel more confident with each game I play,” he says. He likes the diversity that the league offers, drawing in people from various backgrounds. He’s built a good circle of new friends. “I can’t think of a better way to spend my Sunday than running up and down the court playing basketball.

The New York City Gay Basketball League’s spring season starts on March 10. Visit nycgaybasketball.org for more info.