Elden Campbell, a 15-year NBA veteran who played most of his career with his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, has died. according to the Los Angeles Times. He was 57.
The cause of death is unknown.
Born in Inglewood, California, Campbell attended Morningside High and grew up cheering for the Purple and Gold.
The 6-foot-1 center went on to star at Clemson University before being drafted by the Lakers in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft.
Campbell, a 2025 SoCal Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, spent eight and a half seasons in LA and averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during his career.
He won his only NBA championship in 2004 with the Detroit Pistons, fittingly beating the Lakers in a historic rout.
Campbell was nicknamed “Easy E” for his smooth, seemingly effortless playing style, relaxed demeanor and steady presence in the locker room.
Former Lakers teammates and friends expressed their condolences after learning of Campbell’s death.
Byron Scott, an Inglewood native and Morningside High alum, explained he was deeply saddened by the news. The duo played together when Scott returned to LA for his final NBA season in 1996-97.
“I just remember his behavior. That’s why we called him ‘Easy E,'” Scott told the Los Angeles Times. “He was just so cool, nothing accelerated him. He took his time. He was just easy. He was such a good guy. I loved Easy, man.”
That season was Campbell’s best in Hollywood, averaging 14.9 points and eight rebounds per game alongside the superstar duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
He topped those numbers as a member of the Charlotte Hornets, with 15.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per night during the 1998-99 campaign.
“This one hurt to the bone,” former Lakers teammate Cedric Ceballos said on Instagram. “Growing up together as children.”
Campbell entered the competition with an elite edge, combining an impressive frame with exceptional athleticism. While he never quite reached the heights many expected, he remained an imposing interior defender with a nice touch around the rim during stops in LA, Charlotte, Seattle, New Orleans and Detroit.
Scott believed Campbell had what it took to become a superstar, but realized he was content to take a backseat to enjoying the game he loved.
“I thought if he really wanted to be good – and that’s the only negative thing I would say about him – that [he] had the potential to be a great player,” Scott said. “He just wanted to play. He wasn’t working until his contract expired and he was getting ready to try to get a new one. He didn’t put in the time, but he did have some skills. He was big and strong and could jump out of the gym. He had that nice little bounce. To be honest, he didn’t want to be great. He just wanted to play. But what a good guy.”
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