NBA veteran Elden Campbell, the soft-spoken 6’11’’ center who became a fixture of the Los Angeles Lakers during the franchise’s transition years, has passed away at just 57, according to the Los Angeles Times. His cause of death has not yet been made public.
Campbell’s story is a classic Southern California tale — the kind you don’t hear much about anymore. Born and raised in Inglewood, he was a hometown kid who grew up rooting for the Lakers before earning the right to wear the purple and gold himself. Before the era of manufactured superteams and ego-driven drama, Campbell represented a different breed of NBA player: humble, grounded, and content to let his game — not theatrics — do the talking.
After starring at Clemson University, Campbell was drafted in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He went on to spend eight-and-a-half seasons anchoring the paint in Los Angeles, averaging 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds throughout a steady 15-year career. Earlier this year, he was inducted into the SoCal Basketball Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to a local hero who stayed connected to his roots.
Campbell later earned his lone NBA championship in 2004 with the Detroit Pistons, helping take down the star-studded Lakers in a stunning upset that basketball fans still talk about. For a player known for reliability and quiet toughness, it was a well-deserved crowning moment.
Around the league, he was affectionately known as “Easy E.” The nickname said it all — Campbell played with a smooth, unhurried style and carried himself with a calm demeanor that brought stability to every locker room he entered. Former teammate Byron Scott, also an Inglewood native, remembered him fondly.
“He was just so cool, nothing speeding him up,” Scott told the LA Times. “He was such a good dude. I loved Easy, man.”
Campbell’s best statistical season in Los Angeles came in 1996–97, when he averaged 14.9 points and 8 rebounds, playing alongside rising star Kobe Bryant and dominant center Shaquille O’Neal. He topped those numbers two years later with the Charlotte Hornets, putting up 15.3 points and 9.4 rebounds during the 1998–99 campaign.
Former Lakers forward Cedric Ceballos, who grew up with Campbell, shared his grief online. “This one hurt to the bone,” he wrote. “Grew up as kids together.”
Despite his size, athleticism, and natural talent — Campbell could jump out of the gym and had a polished turnaround jumper — he never chased the spotlight or the superstardom many believed he was capable of. He simply wanted to play the game he loved.
Byron Scott reflected on that reality with both admiration and a touch of honesty. “He had the potential to be a great player,” Scott said. “He didn’t want to be great, to be honest with you. He just wanted to play. But what a good guy.”
In an NBA era increasingly defined by self-promotion and theatrics, Elden Campbell stood out as a reminder of something quieter, steadier, and more admirable — a hometown player who honored the game, his teammates, and his community.
He will be deeply missed.
