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When you are going through some tough times, it helps to have a team to get you by.

And just like the Dream Team — that 1992 Olympic basketball team of talent — northwest Bakersfield resident Nathan Gutierrez has some key players backing him up on the court as he faces one of the biggest challenges of his life, kidney failure.

Born with spina bifida, 24-year-old Gutierrez is in need of a kidney transplant. He is currently on a waiting list at the University of California, Los Angeles Transplant Center.

His “dream team” of friends and relatives are currently raising awareness, seeking donations and organizing fund-raisers that would help offset expenses for ongoing treatment.

Gutierrez who moves around in a wheelchair also relies on his faith in God to keep him focused.

“I’ve always dreamed of being a tall basketball player — you know, be able to dunk and all that. That was a big deal to me. When this thing came up, that went on the back burner and now I’m just trying to live every day the best that I can. I don’t even think about the chair anymore,” he said. “It’s more about going to dialysis and doing what I need to do there and living.”

Currently, “Nathan’s Kidney Team”  is planning Bands and Brews, a fundraising event that will feature four local bands at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, at Fishlips, 1517 18th St. There is a $10 cover donation.

The people behind his team remain in awe of Gutierrez’s character.

“I’ve always really admired him because no matter what the challenge is, he figures it out; he thinks about it,” said Teresa Farmer, the team’s media coordinator who has known Gutierrez since third grade. “He’s taken this, and he’s parlaying it into the best-case scenario.”

And that’s what drew friend Chris Patterson to help.

“When I knew there were efforts going out, it was my feeling in my heart to try to help any way that I could, help a friend and help a very successful young man,” he said. “I just want him to know that ‘We’re right here for you. I’m with the team.’”

Gutierrez said friends have helped in different ways. Even just hanging out makes a difference.

“Sometimes, I just want to go out and do something. I don’t want to sit there and talk about the kidney thing and how the transplant is going because it’s depressing, and I’m living it every day. You know even today on my day off, I’m not at dialysis, but all day I think about it. It’s just natural. This is my life,” he said, “so I still want to go out and do fun things and that certainly helps. I try and keep as much normalcy in my life as possible. I think that’s the most important thing for me.”

Team members said they are working to educate people about kidney disease and transplant donation. One idea is to raise awareness by creating an entertainment and educational library for dialysis patients.

“Three hours is not that long, but when you’re sitting there ... I’m thinking about my life and where I’m going and what’s going to happen and what’s already happened. You know it’s scary a lot of times,” Gutierrez said. “Even if I’m watching the Comedy Channel. I’m still thinking about it in the back of my mind, but the entertainment really does help. You don’t sit there being all depressed for three hours.”

Gutierrez’s mom hopes more people will think about becoming kidney donors.

“Even the simple filling out the donor card that’s on your driver’s license — so many people don’t do that,” said his mom, Tamara.

A Lakers fan since the age of 3, Gutierrez said basketball is his main love.

He was recruited for a national junior wheelchair basketball team, The Fresno Heat, at one time and when he’s feeling up to it, he plays with the Rolling Chariots, a local adult wheelchair basketball team.

As a senior in high school, Gutierrez coached for North of the River Recreation and Park District, and the team went undefeated that year, going on to win the league championship. Gutierrez went on to coaching positions at Liberty and Stockdale high schools.

Because dialysis takes up so much time, Gutierrez is currently taking a break from the coaching world, but he continues to attend a coaching clinic in Las Vegas every year.

“Thousands of coaches from all over the world show up. I have met some of the top college coaches in the country. A lot of them know who I am now because I show up every year. I’m highly visible; I always sit in the front. I’m the only one in a chair there,” he said.

Gutierrez said he would love to coach a college or pro basketball team.

“That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. As of lately with my health, I’ve decided that maybe coaching would be a little bit hard on my body so I may want to move into the administrative part, more like a general manager role, vice president role, something like that,” Gutierrez said.

Big dreams, but anything is possible when you have a team of players backing you up.

“I want them to see me jumping those hurdles, but I don’t want them to see it holding me back,” Gutierrez said.