Robert Elmore

Robert Louis Elmore (October 23, 1954 – November 26, 1977) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers and was a fourth round selection by the New Jersey Nets in the 1977 NBA draft. Elmore began his professional career in Italy where he died of drug induced circulatory failure during his rookie season.

Early life Elmore lived in housing projects in Brooklyn until his family moved to a house in Jamaica, Queens, when he was nine. He was raised alongside his three siblings: brothers Len and Cliff, and sister Laverne. Elmore's first passion was baseball but he was encouraged to play basketball in high school because of his height. When he was around 14, he made the decision to leave his friends to focus on basketball. He returned to be named as the MVC Newcomer of the Year in 1975 and was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) first-team selection from 1975 to 1977.

Elmore was inducted into the Wichita State Shocker Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Professional career Elmore was selected by the New Jersey Nets as the first pick of the fourth round in the 1977 NBA draft. He reacted to his drafting: "I was kind of surprised. But they need a center." During a Nets practice session in September, Elmore "showed astounding lack of physical conditioning" and Nets head coach Kevin Loughery remarked that he "has probably never really been in shape in his life." On October 10, Elmore was waived by the Nets.

On October 12, 1977, Elmore signed with Lazio Eldorado in Italy; his contract was for $30,000 a year. His Lazio teammate, Abdul Jeelani, remarked that Elmore was "kind of disappointed that he hadn't made the Nets." Elmore played in six games with Lazio and scored 115 points; he ranked third in the league in blocks and fourth in rebounds. Lazio's general manager, de Micheli, had been unable to contact Elmore by phone throughout the day; de Micheli and the building's night porter entered Elmore's apartment by smashing the balcony window.

Elmore had written earlier to his brother, Cliff, that he had met a local black woman who was a dealer of hashish and cocaine.

Elmore was one of three American basketball players to die in Europe during a 13-month span alongside Fessor Leonard in Switzerland and Steve Mitchell in Italy.