His past job was adorned with Laker Girls. His current job is adorned with the giant scribbled words, “More hula for your moolah.”
“What I did before, it prepared me for anything,” he said.
What Garciduenas did before made him almost as much a part of Lakers lore as Jack Nicholson or free tacos. With his constant appearances around the court to deal with problems such as deflated basketballs and torn socks — he actually sat on the bench during road games — this short, round guy with a goatee became as recognizable as some of the players, with a job that was often as difficult.
“I guess I was part camp counselor, part parent,” he said.
Garciduenas was the guy in charge of procuring and maintaining a selection of Shaquille O’Neal’s size-23 shoes. To illustrate the uniqueness of such footwear, he would occasionally wear one of Shaq’s shoes on his head. In appreciation of his work, O’Neal helped him buy a truck whose license plates eventually read, “THNX SHAQ.”