Elmore Gives Up Job as TV Analyst

Facing conflict-of-interest questions raised because of his work as a sports agent, former NBA player Len Elmore has relinquished his role as a network television analyst for college basketball games.

Last season, while serving as a college basketball analyst for CBS, ESPN and Jefferson-Pilot Sports of Charlotte, N.C., Elmore formed Precept Sports, a Columbia, Md.-based agency. He later signed Harold Miner of USC and Walt Williams of Maryland as clients. Both players were selected in the first round of the NBA draft last month.

Elmore had hoped to continue as a TV analyst while working as an agent. But he decided to give up his TV role after talking with Neal Pilson, president of CBS Sports, and Jimmy Rayburn, assistant vice president/operations of Jefferson-Pilot Sports and the executive producer for that company’s Atlantic Coast Conference basketball broadcasts.

The discussions were held after some college coaches and administrators publicly questioned whether Elmore could do both jobs without creating a conflict of interest.

“We discussed the matter with him,” said Sandy Genelius, a CBS spokeswoman. “We felt that there was a conflict of interests and that he had to make a choice.”

Elmore said he still believes he can do both jobs without conflict. However, he said, he felt the issue needed to be put to rest before it generated more controversy.

“There was just too much negative energy,” he said.

Referring to his clients, he added: “I made a commitment to these young kids. Certainly, there’s a lot of income lost (by giving up TV work). But, hopefully, I can make it up.”