Shaq Eyes Starring Role

Shaquille O’Neal, the long arm of the law, not to mention the thick arm and the Superman tattooed arm and the highly decorated arm, said Sunday afternoon that he would like to introduce himself to the new man, Bill Bratton.

Officer O’Neal, reserve for the Port of Los Angeles Police, reporting for duty. Sir.

The Los Angeles police chief designate, Bratton hasn’t been to Laker camp yet, but based on his schedule for the past half-week is due to arrive any day.

“Being that that’s what I want to do, I always shake hands with all of the chiefs and ask them certain questions,” O’Neal said. “I want to know what they’re doing, try to read up on them.”

Standing Sunday afternoon beside his red SUV, on feet healing instead of disintegrating for the first time in maybe a year, O’Neal said he’d like to have his own little LAPD someday. Maybe in Louisiana, where he attended college in Baton Rouge. More likely in Orlando, where he spends his summers and one day, when he’s given up his NBA career and mansion in Beverly Hills, will live full-time.

“In this city? No,” O’Neal said. “I’d rather go to a smaller town where I can see everything. When you have 18,000 officers, all those deputies, you really can’t see everything. In a town with 150 deputies, you can talk to them. That’s what I want to do, a real small town where I can talk to people, where they know me and I know them. Eighteen thousand deputies, that’s just too much.”

O’Neal is in his formative law-enforcement years, his days as a Sheriff perhaps ahead. He’s still spit shining the badge he occasionally wears on a chain under his street clothes and developing a management style. Along comes Bratton, the high-profile, heavy-handed crime fighter who, if his reputation follows, might take in a Laker game or two and give O’Neal some ideas.

A law-and-order man himself, O’Neal said, “He seems to have done a lot for New York. Hopefully, he can come here and do a similar job. His law is the law. It’s a good style. Some people are going to think it’s not a good style. But, as long as he’s got Mayor Hahn behind him, he should be fine. I’m sure he’ll do a fabulous job.”

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If Phil Jackson decides he would like to coach the U.S. Olympic team, his competition likely would come from Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan, Philadelphia 76er Coach Larry Brown and San Antonio Spur Coach Gregg Popovich, each of whom has served recent U.S. teams as head or assistant coaches.

Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak is on the committee that will help choose the 2004 coach, as is 76er General Manager Billy King. Brown said last week he would like to be considered.

USA Basketball won’t begin to move on the decision until an annual meeting in mid-November.

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The night before the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns in an Oct. 19 exhibition in Las Vegas, they will room at The Palms, a hotel owned by Gavin and Joe Maloof, who also own the Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers will travel with several rookies who will taste test everything on Kobe Bryant’s room service tray.

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The Lakers scrimmaged Sunday night at their gym in El Segundo. In a Clipper-like moment, they were unable to practice earlier in the day because the gym lights could not be turned on.... Bryant was treated for what Jackson called “a little nip in his rib cage.”