GLENDALE : NBA Star Coaches Youngsters in Living

The crowd roared as Los Angeles Clippers forward Dominique Wilkins outpaced his contenders to score two points on a perfect layup.

But instead of cheers from stands packed with season ticket holders, Wilkins was lauded by a sea of Glenoaks Elementary School students who lined up in the afternoon sun Wednesday to participate in a basketball clinic.

Students, dwarfed by Wilkins 6-foot-8 frame, tried in vain to pitch free throws into a large, orange basketball hoop at the end of the school playground. Each wore a white baseball hat with “PRIDE” inscribed across the front.

Wilkins, who came to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this year from the Atlanta Hawks, visited Glendale as part of the Neighborhood PRIDE program developed by ARCO Products Co. and the Clippers. The acronym PRIDE, created by National Basketball Assn. Community Relations Director Bob Lanier, stands for Positive mental attitude, Respect, Intelligent choices, Dreaming dreams and Effort in education.

The program aims to provide positive role models for youngsters and uses basketball to promote its message, said Steve Swayne, the Clippers’ director of community relations. Team members have held 50 basketball clinics for more than 10,000 kids since the program started two years ago, he said.

Wilkins, ranked among the top 10 players in the NBA, advised children to “love and respect themselves and others” and told them to build self-confidence early in life.

Fifth-grader Aleen Bedrossian said she was surprised that Wilkins talked about things other than basketball.

“I didn’t know he cared so much about kids,” Aleen said.