A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE

Fluke Fluker got the call Wednesday from Jordan Farmar and immediately sensed a problem.

Farmar, the former Taft of Woodland Hills basketball standout who is preparing for his freshman year at UCLA, was telling Fluker about the broken nose he suffered in a pickup basketball game a few days earlier. As Farmar spoke, Fluker's heart sank.

``I thought for sure he was going to have to back out of the camp we were putting on (next week),'' Fluker said, referring to a free one-day skills camp Fluker, Farmar and former Cleveland of Reseda standout Nick Young (USC) will conduct for kids Wednesday at Mid-Valley Athletic Club.

``I thought for sure he was about to say, `I'm real sorry, but I'm not going to be able to make it,' '' Fluker said.

Anything but. As it turns out, Farmar was telling Fluker how his broken nose would help him convey the message he wants the kids to receive. He told Fluker how his injury can drive home the point that basketball, for all the fame it has brought Farmar, is just a small part of a bigger portrait Farmar hopes to paint of himself in life.

``I broke my nose, but what would have happened if it was my knee, or my neck?'' Farmar said. ``It just goes to show how fleeting all this can be, and why the most important thing is getting an education. Sports can be taken away at any moment, but an education is for the rest of your life.''

Farmar underwent a successful 10-minute procedure Friday to reset his broken nose. He cannot do any physical activities for two weeks and will not be able to play basketball for four-to-six weeks. Fluker, the former Chatsworth basketball coach and athletic director, was taken aback by what he heard.

``I've always admired (Farmar and Young) as athletes, they are two of the best the San Fernando Valley has ever produced,'' Fluker said. ``But as much as I've admired them as basketball players, I'm even more impressed with them as people now. I truly mean that. I've gotten to know these guys a little bit since we've put this together, and it's pretty obvious to me now why all these good things have come to them. The bottom line is they are great people in addition to being great athletes.''

Fluker isn't one to throw around compliments. He is a 6-foot-8, 280- pound mammoth of a man and a former Marine. A straight talking New Yorker, Fluker isn't easily impressed.

But he is now.

The camp, which begins at 7 p.m., is part of Mid-Valley's ``Good Neighbor Policy'' and is free to kids and parents. Farmar and Young, former high school rivals and soon-to-be college foes, are actually good friends off the court and eagerly accepted Fluker's invitation to take part.

``I didn't even give it a second thought,'' Young said. ``I've always wanted to be someone who gave back. I'm moving on to college now, but I still plan to be a part of the community and help out anyway I can. This is something I'll definitely be doing no matter where my basketball career takes me.''

Farmar, who underwent a successful nose procedure Friday, won't be able to take part in the skills aspect of Wednesday's camp but he will take questions, sign autographs and pose for photos.

``Man, when I was a kid I was always going to camps and clinics and soaking up all the stuff (the college and pro players) were saying,'' Farmar recalled. ``So to be able to be on the other side now, that makes me feel good. We realize how blessed we are to be in the position we're in, so there's no hesitation at all trying to help out.''

Both players are looking forward to their freshman years.

Farmar, who averaged 27.5 points, 6.5 assists and 9.3 rebounds while leading Taft to its first-ever City Section title last season, is projected to be the Bruins' starting point guard. The broken nose will keep him sidelined for about two weeks, but he expects to be fully healed by the time UCLA begins practice.

``I'm a pretty confident player, and my goal is to help (UCLA) as much as I can my first year,'' said Farmar, who begins summer school at UCLA on Monday. ``I can't wait to get started.''

Young, who averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland last season, hopes to crack the Trojans' rotation this season.

``Hopefully we can get the basketball program back on track soon,'' Young said. ``I know everybody is talking about football right now, but we're going to try to get them to talk about basketball, too.''

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Nick Young jumped at the offer to appear at the camp at Reseda's Mid-Valley Athletic Club.

Julio Cortez/Special to the Daily News