The Lakers had just finished their first practice of the season and, one by one, all the big names disappeared into the locker room.
Steve Nash. Dwight Howard. Even Kobe Bryant, who ranks among the hardest workers in the game.
Only one man remained on court after they had gone. His body stretching to a perilous 7 feet 1, his long face framed by black hair and a beard, Ronnie Aguilar shot a steady progression of jump hooks.
When that was finished, he asked a trainer to run him through footwork drills that looked like something out of "Riverdance."
"I'm just doing my job," Aguilar said. "I want to show these guys that I belong."
The 25-year-old center from Cal State Dominguez Hills had arrived at the team's training facility with the intention of earning a spot on the roster. He said: "I know how hard I've worked to get here."
But his chances appeared slim from the start. Passed over in the NBA draft, he had spent the previous year playing minor league ball and working out on his own — "schools, city parks, wherever" — in hopes of being noticed.
Three weeks ago, the Lakers signed him to a short-term contract as a "training camp invitee." That was the polite term for it. Aguilar and his ilk are also known as "camp fodder."
From the first day of camp, Aguilar showed up early to stretch, lift weights and shoot on his own. Preparing his body was only part of the challenge.
The new guys had to learn plays and terminology used by a team that plans to run a version of the complex Princeton offense this season.
"The first few days, they threw a lot of things at the rookies," Aguilar said. "We were like, 'Wow!'"
NBA teams carry a maximum of 15 players during the regular season. That is not enough to fill out a month of preseason drills and two-a-day sessions.
General managers bring in extra bodies to serve as opponents in practice, saving wear-and-tear on the starters and top reserves. These invitees tend to be young and eager. As Lakers assistant Darvin Ham explained: "There's no one hungrier than a man who needs a job."
Coach Mike Brown occasionally pulled Aguilar aside to explain finer points, wanting him to "pick up little things here and there that will make his game better in the long run."
By week's end, the rookie found himself going toe to toe with Howard. During one drill, he slid across the lane and stole a lob pass from Nash.
Other times he drifted out of position or rushed his shot. There were scrimmages when he lingered on the sideline with the rest of the invitees — including former UCLA star Reeves Nelson — watching as veterans got all the court time.
Another big rookie, Robert Sacre, fared significantly better. The second-round draft pick gradually earned more minutes by impressing the coaches with his consistent play.
"I try not to worry about it," Aguilar said. "I'm just doing what they ask."
It helped that Pau Gasol, a veteran Laker, gave him advice. And that fellow invitees offered encouragement.
Aguilar stayed after practice each day to shoot free throws and work with Ham on his post moves. He usually left about 7 p.m., exiting through a gated parking lot that safeguarded Ferraris and Porsches.
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