He also is on the board of directors of the Youth Basketball Initiative, a joint project of the NBA and NCAA informally known as iHoops that is designed to further the educational and life-skills development of young people through Basketball. Elmore was an All-American center for the University of Maryland during the 1970s.

Here, Elmore answers 10 questions regarding the June 25 NBA Draft to be held at Madison Square Garden in New York. And there's a bit of life and state-of-the game philosophy, too.

1. What are the expectations for Blake Griffin of Oklahoma since the Los Angeles Clippers already have announced they will select him with the No. 1 overall pick? And he's listed as 6-foot-10, but Griffin reportedly is closer to 6-8{, so will that height discrepancy make a difference?

My prognostication for Blake Griffin is he's a perfect No. 1 pick. He's a frontline player: by that I mean he's a big man, he's skilled, he's strong and has a high Basketball IQ. He's the son of a coach and was trained by a coach's son (at Oklahoma). He's doesn't have any character issues. The single most important thing is that he plays hard. NBA general managers want someone who will play hard night after night and use their skills, especially when you are talking about top five picks.

One or two inches (in height) don't matter. You don't get rebounds with your neck or your head. You get rebounds with your leaping ability and your reach. I've stood next to him (Griffin), and I'm 6-9 and the guy looks me eye-to-eye.?As long as his reach is commensurate and he's demonstrated his production, he should be fine. ...

Do I expect him to be the savior for the L.A. Clippers? No. But I say, within the next three years, he will be among their best players.

2. Are there concerns about Ricky Rubio, the 6-foot-3 point guard from Spain who has raised the curiosity of many NBA observers?

I think the jury's still out on Ricky Rubio. Look, he's an NBA marketer's dream. He's got the matinee-idol look. He has that Pete Maravich flair. He's young. My questions marks are: He's a European point guard, so does he have the physical strength to take the bumps and banging night in and night out in the NBA ? Does he have the tools to keep defenses honest? When you talk about athleticism, he's not as athletic as the top point guards in the NBA . I wasn't all that impressed with him during the Olympics. He seemed to be more hype than production. If Ricky Rubio would have played college Basketball in the United States, we would know much more about him. That's the problem with European players; you don't see them as often as you would like. Where I come from, flair doesn't get it done night in and night out. You have to understand the essentials of the game.

3. This NBA Draft is steep in point guards, so who is the best?

It's hard to say who's the best. If I had the chance to take a kid to be my pro-style point guard, I would take Eric Maynor of Virginia Commonwealth University. He has the size, skill and temperament. He understands the concept of getting other people involved (in the offense). He reads the flow of the game nicely.

In a special kind of system, Stephen Curry (Davidson) could flourish. He's been talking about playing for the Knicks. There would be less pressure on him there, because they are already losing. If he could be one of their saviors, New York would reward him tremendously. If they still lose, then people would say, "Well, they were a bad team anyway."

A guy like Ty Lawson (North Carolina) is unusual because of his diminutive stature and because of his extraordinary speed. He has speed from end line to end line and in the halfcourt. I don't think Lawson's height (5-11) will hurt him. I don't know many 6-4 NBA guards as quick as Ty Lawson. The name of the game in the NBA is getting people out of position. If Lawson can get opponents out of position with his quickness and he can shoot, he will be fine.

As for Jrue Holiday, we really don't know what he is because he didn't play point guard at UCLA. Everyone is looking at his body and trying to figure out what he is. He has the tools, but he wasn't dominant.

Tyreke Evans was pressed into service as a point guard at Memphis, but he is more skilled to be a 2 guard (or shooting guard). Still, playing point helped his ball-handling skills.

Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) and Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) are the most dynamic point guards in the league. Maynor isn't as dynamic as those three, but he is solid. He is more of an Andre Miller (Philadelphia 76ers) type, especially offensively like him. He can manage a game for you. And rarely will he hurt you.

4 .Who came out early as an underclassman for the NBA Draft but should have returned?

With the exception of Tyreke Evans, the freshmen should have stayed. Jrue Holiday should have stayed; B.J. Mullens of Ohio State should have stayed. Here's the reasoning why: Most of these guys will be picked high, but some will be disappointed. Some of them haven't stayed long enough to develop their skills. They won't get fundamental teaching in the NBA .

Sure, they will make some money, but will they reach their full potential? Rather than listen to Dwight Howard and say college would have done nothing to help his game, it's the foundation upon which to build your talent. College helps positions that require skills like point guard and center. ...

For most guys, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett excluded, going from high school straight to the NBA stunts their skill development. You need the fundamental soundness to combine with athletic skill and strength.

5. What about DeJuan Blair of Pittsburgh? He's short for an ideal frontcourt player but has a serious body at a strong 270 pounds.

He's about 6-7, but he has a reach that extends beyond 7 feet. You don't go after the ball with your neck or your head. You go after the ball with your arms. DeJuan Blair is going to surprise a lot of people. He's pretty nifty around the basket. As a righty, he can use his left hand. He was the best offensive rebounder in college Basketball because he understands positioning. He's a guy who just eats glass, but he has an offensive feel. He's not going to be a superstar, but he's going to be a solid, solid NBA player. You play him at the 4 spot, power forward. In the short term, he will use his potential and have an impact.

6. What about the "buzz syndrome" for some of these college players?

If the "buzz" is in your direction, then a lot of these guys go pro. Not only do the players buy into the "buzz," the agents, owners and general managers do, too.

Some of these guys don't want to go to college. Some of them only see the superficial. They want to hang with (rapper) Jay-Z. It's "the life" that attracts them. Some of them would rather have that life than sitting in class listening to that professor. Some of these guys have so much potential to do so much more and be so much more. But today, it's about instant gratification. ...

At some point, some of these guys realize it's more than about the money. It's about getting a ring, winning an NBA championship. The Lakers now understand that.

7. Jordan Hill, a 6-10, 230-pound junior frontcourt player from Arizona, has been projected as high as the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft. Is that logical?

Jordan Hill settled far too often for jump shots. I think he's still raw. On the offensive end, he's more of a small forward. Occasionally, he will play with his back to the basket, but he's more of a jump shooter. In the games I've seen him play, he relies on his jump shot too much. He's still raw, and you wonder about his understanding of the game. But he's extraordinarily athletic. He should go someplace where he can afford to sit and learn. ... The problem is that when you are picked in the top five in the draft, teams expect you to play right away.

8. What is the prognosis for North Carolina's 6-9 forward Tyler Hansbrough, the college player of the year in 2008?

He will be late first round. All the buzz points to Utah. He's hard working. He doesn't mind scraping his knees. He's a (Utah Jazz coach) Jerry Sloan-style of player. He's a better athlete than you expect. His motor will have to compensate for his lack of physical gifts. He has no character issues. The guy played four years; there's something to be said for that. He's always working. I've seen him improve his jump shot. He has improved his range. He needs to go to a team with a good point guard and with good support, because he won't be the star. He will be part of that team's supporting cast.

9. What is the worst thing about college Basketball? And what about hero worship?

I think maybe the worst thing is officials doing too many games in a short period of time.

And the situations at Memphis and USC are showing a bad side of college Basketball. You still have to set the bar high, though. To me, the idea of amateurism is what delineates the college game from the pro game. When you have these scandals, the line starts to blur. Then, the college game suffers; the NBA doesn't suffer because of that.

Ideally, it's about trying to improve yourself in college and trying to continue life-long learning. But there is a paradigm that reaches so deep in our society: Kids emulate their heroes; if their hero drinks Red Bull, the kid will drink Red Bull; if a hero wears Nike shoes, the kid will wear Nike shoes; if a hero doesn't go to school, the kid won't go to school; if a hero gets someone else to take a SAT for him, the kid will get someone else to take the SAT for him. Blame should be placed on the parents and care-givers for allowing this to happen.

10 .What about college Basketball's one-year rule before entering the NBA Draft, commonly known as the "one-and-done" system?

For the greater good of society, three years would make a lot of sense. Young men can develop fundamental Basketball skills but also develop as a person.

Basketball is such a cultural icon in the black community. Yet against that backdrop is the incarceration rate for young black males and the academic deficiencies that affect them. That's why we have to monitor this situation. The ninth-grader who sees what Tyler Hansbrough is doing now has the rationale to not go to class in high school and not go to college. These are avenues these kids think are viable options, but they are not. We need to help change the paradigm. These kids need to learn fundamentals and prepare for a college education in order to reach goals. If you don't reach your goal, you still need a Plan B. And that Plan B can be your education.

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