TAMPA, Fla. — Brandon Matthews loves the game of basketball.
“He grew up around it. Like most kids, he had the plastic Playskool hoop,” Brandon’s father, Jason Matthews, said. “He literally would fall asleep right in front of the hoop. He wore himself out. At that point, okay, he’s going to be a hooper.”
That love turned into a job as the University of South Florida men’s basketball team manager.
“He has a lot of responsibility,” Jason said. “He has to rebound; I’m sure you see him in games. He gets in a 20-25 minute good workout. He carries the equipment to and from. He has to keep the bench clean at half-time and after the game. Brings a positive attitude every day.”
Every day, Brandon is the first one on the court getting up shots with dad, who was a college basketball standout at the University of Pittsburgh in the late 1980s.
“When we pull up to the parking lot, he doesn’t even let me put the car in park, jumps out, makes b-line to the front door,” Jason said.
Brandon was born with autism, and this job helps with his social and cognitive development.
“People can take a look at a young man that is happy all the time, basketball has always been his social gateway and he brings that positive energy to any environment,” Jason said.
In 2017, Jason moved the family from Pittsburgh to Tampa to enroll his son in to USF’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities.
It was on an invitation from then-head coach Orlando Antigua to join the Bulls as team manager. Antigua was later replaced by Brian Gregory, and Gregory was replaced by Amir Abdur-Rahim.
“He’s been apart of it. Who am I to come in and say no he can’t be apart of it?” Abdur-Rahim said. “When I got to meet Brandon and his dad Jason It was a no brainer. I am a big energy guy and Brandon’s energy, enthusiasm, his love for the game. It’s so infectious.”
The deal stood for Brandon to be on the Bulls’ bench for the last seven seasons, but this one has been the sweetest.
“I am really excited for Brandon to have the opportunity to be a part of the first-time ever ranked, a lot of firsts this season,” Jason said.
Verbal communication might be rare, but that’s a big deal. Brandon’s role to educate and inspire is.
“We always wanted Brandon to be an inspiration,” Jason said. “When we have the opportunity to invite others with autism to a home game or away game, we always do.”
