Los Angeles, CA (U-WIRE) -- Shack is back in Los Angeles.

Except this Shack could fit in the pocket of Shaquille O'Neal.

Is that where he has been?

How come nobody knows about him?

Maybe it's because this Shack doesn't have an endorsement deal with Icy Hot like the Big Aristotle, although those patches certainly would have come in handy this season.

Tonight, Dwayne Shackleford will be unveiled at the Sports Arena for the first time since Dec. 4 against Brigham Young.

But nobody saw him then, either.

Dec. 4 was the day that oranges rained from the sky as the USC football team clinched a trip to the national championship game with a win over cross-town rival UCLA.

Even Magic Johnson can't compete with that.

Which means the only home game that anybody could have seen Shackleford play was the first game of the season against California Irvine on Nov. 22, in front of a crowd of 3,515.

That night, Shackleford played just 13 minutes, but sparked USC with 12 points, three three-pointers, two steals and one dazzling behind-the-back assist to help the Trojans turn a seven-point deficit into a 20-point victory.

But it seems like once upon a time the basketball team was undefeated. Since then, this team has gone through more changes than Barry Bonds' body.

USC has fired its coach, hired a coach who quit five days later, hired a another coach, gone 8-13 and Shackleford has had arthroscopic knee surgery for the second time this season.

So why not red shirt and start off fresh for next year?

"I wanted to compete and help the team the best way I could," he said.

"Basketball is what I know and what I do. It's been a tough year for me physically and personally."

"Basketball is my outlet."

Physically, the season couldn't have started much worse for Shackleford. He tore his lateral meniscus the first day of practice and had to undergo arthroscopic surgery.

Shackleford, who was expected to compete for the starting point guard position, worked hard to make it back by opening day, where he was able to contribute off the bench.

After spending two years at Allegany College, where he was a National Junior College Athletic Association Division I All-American, he raised his grades, making him eligible to play Division I basketball.

But this surely wasn't what he had in mind.

Shackleford chose USC over East Carolina in large part because of former Trojans' coach Henry Bibby. The two hit it off immediately and were excited to work with each other.

"We feel Dwayne's maturity level and winning mentality will provide on-the-court leadership to the team," Bibby said after signing Shackleford.

"He has an uncanny ability to score points in big games and is also able to involve his teammates in the offense with his passing skills. He is a very exciting player, and I know Trojan fans will enjoy watching him play."

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound point guard averaged 21.4 points for the Allegany College Trojans last season, who were ranked among the top schools in the country.

He also made a school record 114 three-pointers and had 61 steals to go along with his 171 assists.

His uncanny ability to score points in big games was evident in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament when he dropped a season-high 40 points. He also had a game earlier in the year in which he made 10 three-pointers.

Shackleford, who prepped at Anacostia High in Washington D.C., earned numerous accolades, including a USA Today All-American honorable mention. He averaged 26 points a game and made a Washington-area best 79 three-pointers his senior year.

Looking forward to building on his success with new coach Henry Bibby, Shackleford was surprised to see Bibby let go.

"I was disappointed," he said. "I felt he had the right mindset. He had his best interest in the guys."

Shackleford still feels that way, as he has talked to Bibby several times over the course of the season.

But when Bibby left, Shackleford lost another friend.

Shackleford began the year rooming with someone he could relate to and share his new experiences with: freshman teammate Emanuel Willis.

Both made cross-country treks to play for USC.

Willis didn't make the 3,000 mile trip from Washington, but Mississippi isn't exactly Southern California, either.

"Emanuel was a good friend," Shackleford said. "We had each other to talk to and to help us focus."

But shortly after Bibby was fired, Willis left too, transferring to Auburn.

Shackleford wanted his roommate to stick around, but Willis could not be persuaded.

"I tried to talk him into staying, but in the end, he had to do what's best for himself," he said.

As if there wasn't enough drama in Shackleford's young career, he suffered yet another set back on the team's seventh game of the season. After playing for only five minutes at Hawaii on Dec. 23, he hurt his knee again.

Shackleford underwent arthroscopic surgery for the second time this season, finally returning to action last Thursday at Washington.

Nine games into Shackleford's season, the Trojans have nine wins. But Shackleford has missed an additional 13 contests.

Watching USC struggle has been rough on Shackleford, which is why he pushed hard to return this year.

"I'm a team kind of guy," he said. "I'm not one of the types of people who can sit and live with that."

So he is doing his part to get off the bench and help the team, even though he admits that his knee is only at 80 to 85 percent. The injury has affected his lateral movement, getting by defenders and his pressure defense - things he said were basketball instincts before.

Now, he has to work to get them back.

"I didn't know it would affect my game like this," he said.

Because of the injury, Shackleford has also missed valuable practice time, which could have eased the transition from junior college basketball to Division I.

"I haven't had the reps this year, the practice time," he said.

"My game is based on hard work and preparation."

While Shackleford hasn't had the luxury of preparation this year, interim coach Jim Saia still appreciates his presence.

"I think he's a good point guard," he said. "He can really shoot it and he can become a valuable asset to this team. He has some skill."

But maybe even more valuable to a team that has been creating a losing culture is his mindset.

"He has a good attitude," Saia said.

"He's a positive guy. He's got a good spirit about him, and I think that he is positive for this team."

The Trojans are two and a half games behind eighth-place Oregon State and the final seed of the Pacific-10 tournament with only seven games left in the season.

But Shackleford remains confident.

"I think we have a good team; you can write that," he said.

"I'm going to keep fighting. Things will turn out in the end."

Shackleford is committed to this team, both this year and next, and is determined to overcome his adversity.

After all, when he returns to USC next year, he will be the only senior on the team.

"I do my best to lead by example," he said.

"I've got to work hard this summer. I'm going to come back in the best shape of my life."

But the dream doesn't stop there. Ultimately, he would love to meet the other Shaq.

"I need to work on my defense, and I need to get stronger," he said. "And then, God-willing, I'll go to the NBA."

(C) 2004 Daily Trojan via U-WIRE