Lakers rookie Karl has endured his share of adversity

Rookie Coby Karl says it's a privilege to be a Laker. (file/Juan Ocampo/Getty Images)

Behind a basket at TD Banknorth Garden Wednesday afternoon, Lakers guard Coby Karl was away from the commotion.

Over his shoulder, players were at podiums, along the scorer's table, and in the middle of the court speaking with the media on the eve of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

While the Lakers-Celtics rivalry was the hot topic, Karl, unfussy in a white T-shirt and sweat pants, was asked to reflect on his life.

At 24, Karl has faced cancer twice, most recently in his lymph nodes last year. The son of Nuggets coach George Karl was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Lakers in July. His rookie season has been a combination of limited minutes with the Lakers and extensive time in the NBA Development League.

A little more than a year ago he was going through routines all too familiar to get through the latest cancer diagnosis, and now he is healthy and in the Finals.

"It's like a dream," Karl said.

Though he likely won't see extended time in this series, Karl still appreciates the experience.

As his father reminded him, "Even though you're not going to play, you can help the team somehow, whether it's picking up a guy when he's down or by being on a scout team," the younger Karl recalled.

So as the Lakers prepared for the Celtics this week, Karl, a 6-foot-5-inch guard, played the role of Celtics guard Ray Allen in practice.

"I try to do things that he does to get the team ready," Karl said. "Those are the little things I can do."

When Karl reflects on the last three years of his life, he refers to the time as a "long journey."

In 2006, Karl was playing for Boise State and comprehending a diagnosis of papillary carcinoma. As a result, his thyroid was removed and he underwent chemotherapy. In April 2007, Karl was back in the hospital to have cancerous lymph nodes removed.

No matter how healthy he may feel, there is always concern the cancer may return.

Each morning, Karl takes medication to compensate for his missing thyroid, and every six weeks he has blood tests to check his progress.

"There's a scare every time you wait for the results of that, but it's something that has become my life the last two or three years and you get used to it," Karl said.

And when the results come, there is still the worry of the unknown.

"I think it's a thing where, for me, I'm probably going to have to deal with cancer, whether it's checkups or treatments, for the rest of my life," Karl said.

All the while Karl dealt with cancer, basketball was never far out of his life.

He completed his senior season last year and capped a career that left him the Broncos' third all-time leading scorer with 1,698 points. He also holds school records for games (127) and 3-pointers (266). Karl is one of five players in Boise State history to score 400 points in three different seasons.

Along with his skills, coaches often compliment Karl's knowledge of the game, which is understood having a father who has coached more than 20 years in the NBA.

Karl said he gained valuable experience with his three Development League stints with the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

In 17 games with the D-Fenders, Karl averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.

He may be just a rookie with the Lakers, and even with all the star power on the team, he feels a part of the experience.

"It's a privilege to be on a team that likes each other as much as we do," Karl said.

Monique Walker can be reached at mwalker@globe.com.