Elden Campbell, Former NBA Player, Passes Away at 57

Elden Campbell, the former center for the Los Angeles Lakers and an NBA champion, has died at the age of 57, as confirmed by Clemson University, his alma mater. The exact cause of his death hasn’t been disclosed yet.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Elden Campbell, our all-time leading scorer, a three-time All-ACC player, and an All-American,” said Clemson’s head coach in a statement.

Campbell is recognized as the winningest player in Clemson history, with a remarkable record of 84 wins. Additionally, he led the Clemson team that achieved the program’s only ACC Championship.

Born and raised in Inglewood, California, Campbell grew up cheering for the Lakers. He was drafted by the team in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft and played a significant portion of his career—eight and a half seasons—with them.

During his 15-year NBA career, he played for several teams, including the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, and New Jersey Nets. Throughout his time in the league, he participated in 1,044 games, averaging 10.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

Campbell was part of the Detroit Pistons when they defeated the Lakers in the NBA Finals during the 2003-2004 season, contributing to the team that won the championship.

His playing style earned him the affectionate nicknames “Big E” and “Eazy E.” Byron Scott, a teammate of Campbell’s during two separate tenures with the Lakers, reflected on Campbell’s easygoing personality, sharing fond memories of their time together.

Cedric Ceballos, another former Lakers teammate and longtime friend, expressed his sorrow on Instagram, saying, “This hurts my bones. I grew up with it as a kid.”