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Tuesday, November 25, 1997

Managing the Dream

MANAGER: Fourth-year Tony Luftman loves his role as the Bruins' Renaissance Man

By Traci Mack

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

If you happen to look toward the bench during a men's basketball game, you might bear witness to a curious phenomenon: a guy in a suit who seems to be all over the place, handing out water, carrying clipboards, cheering the Bruins on to victory and spouting enough inspirational quotes to make you wonder if Lavin learned from him.

He's part coach, part gofer, part cheerleader. As head student manager of the men's basketball team, Tony Luftman might best be described as a magician of sorts - deftly handling the needs of the UCLA basketball program using a quick wit, some slight of hand and a lot of love for what he does.

Since childhood, Luftman, a fourth-year history student, has been dedicated to what he considers to be the greatest basketball tradition in America.

"I love this team. ... When I first came here, my mom said, 'What if they have you clean bathrooms?' And I said, 'Well, then I'll clean toilets, I'll learn how to do it,'" Luftman says.

Now that's dedication.

After a hard day of practice, it's time for the team to go eat, and everyone's starving. But Luftman's not leaving for dinner. He's staying to rebound for freshman Earl Watson, who's stayed after practice to work on his jump shots. The two laugh and joke as Pauley Pavilion empties out, but Luftman wouldn't even think of leaving.

Luftman takes his job seriously. He and his staff of five other student managers know every player's quirky pregame rituals by heart. He prepares a 15-page full-color manager's notebook; he knows every player's preferences when it comes to sizes, socks and even gum; he keeps stats, carries laundry, stocks the fridge and knows what the coaches want even before they do.

Despite all these contributions to the team's well-being, Luftman denies that he and his managerial staff play a necessary role in the team's success.

"It's a lot of responsibility," Luftman says. "We don't really affect how well the team does, but how efficient the team can be. We're an important, but non-essential, element of the team. I think that if the NCAA developed a rule that there could be no more team managers, then UCLA basketball would be just fine."

Luftman and his managerial staff have varied responsibilities - everything from getting programs for the referees to maintaining the newly implemented closed-practice environment to cleaning the locker room. Luftman does realize, however, that some might feel that picking up jock straps is a demeaning job. Although he maintains that a chimpanzee could probably do his job, he denies that being a manager is ever demeaning in his eyes.

"(The managers) have a role on the team, and in order for the team to win, I have certain responsibilities. You could look at it as demeaning to set screens, but setting screens wins games. You could also look at it as demeaning to pick up jocks," says Luftman.

Before the game, Luftman is getting ready, making sure everything is in place.

No matter how busy Luftman is, he always takes time to remind himself that he is "blessed to be part of the best basketball program in America."

Luftman's love for UCLA basketball came at an early age. With parents who are staunch Bruin fans, he grew up with a sense of Bruin pride. As a child, he was a ball boy under Jim Harrick. Luftman credits his parents with giving him the drive to do what he does - both figuratively and literally.

"My mom drove me back and forth to every game. ... I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for her," Luftman says.

Being a ball boy led to being a full-time student manager. Doing a dead-on impersonation of former coach Harrick, he relates the story of his induction into the managerial ranks.

"I remember going into Harrick's office, and Cameron Dollar was in there," says Luftman with a boyish grin. "And Harrick asked me, 'Are you sure you want to do this ?' And I said, 'I want to be a part of national championship teams.' And Harrick said to Dollar, 'You hear that, Dollar? Luftman says we're gonna win national championships.' And that year, we did.

"That was so awesome."

Taped up in Kris Johnson's locker is a poem celebrating his return from suspension, written by the team's manager and resident poet laureate, Tony Luftman. Luftman is very close to Johnson, as he is to all the members of the UCLA basketball family. Indeed,"Luft," as he is affectionately called by the players, is more than just a manager to members of the team.

"These guys are like my brothers," Luftman says.

If one happens to catch Luftman during practice or a game, it is evident how much a part of UCLA's Bruin basketball family he really is.

He might be seen absorbing wisdom from his good friend John Wooden before the game, or in Coach Lavin's office talking about everything or nothing at all.

All in all, Luftman loves every minute of it. And why not? He receives a full scholarship, priority enrollment, basketball gear, a front row seat at every game and the chance to be part of something special. As Luftman puts it, "I'm living my dream, and I'm getting paid for it."

Additionally, Luftman is not merely a dedicated manager - he's one of the best in the country. Aside from his duties as head student manager for the Bruins, he is also a manager for the USA basketball under-22 national team. Through this, he has developed friendships with professional coaches and players all over the nation.

With his reputation, disarming personality and love of the game, being a manager at the pro level is certainly an option for Luftman. But he isn't sure exactly what's in his future.

"I try to pattern myself after Coach Wooden," Luftman says. "He always said, 'Make every day your masterpiece,' so that's what I'm doing, going one day at a time."

As Luftman says this, he flashes a smile as brilliant as the stone in his 1995 NCAA championship ring. He is living his dream.

JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS/Daily Bruin

Tony Luftman, a fourth-year history student, is the head manager of the men's basketball team.

AARON TOUT/Daily Bruin

Baron Davis receives a towel from Tony Luftman.