Former NBA center Elden Campbell, who played most of his career for his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, and later won the NBA Finals with the Detroit Pistons, has died. He was 57.
Campbell’s death was first reported by the [Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2025-12-02/former-laker-elden-campbell-known-for-his-effortless-style-dies-at-57). No cause of death was given.
Campbell, a Los Angeles native, was drafted out of Clemson by the Lakers in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-11 center, nicknamed “Easy E,” played his first eight-plus seasons for LA from 1990-1999, including alongside NBA legends Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
Midway through his ninth season with the Lakers, Campbell was traded to the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets. He played four seasons for the Hornets from 1999-2002 before again being traded to the Seattle SuperSonics near the end of the 2002-03 season.
Campbell signed with the Pistons in July 2003 and helped lead Detroit to winning the 2004 NBA Finals over his former Lakers.
During his second season in Detroit, Campbell was traded to the Utah Jazz and was released by the team. He signed with the then-New Jersey Nets and played 10 games for the Nets during the 2004-05 season to end his NBA career.
Campbell finished his career averaging 10.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 24.7 minutes across 1,044 games, including 671 starts.
Some of Campbell’s former teammates issued statements remembering the late center.
“I just remember his demeanor. That’s why we nicknamed him ‘Easy E,’ ” former Lakers guard Byron Scott told The Times. “He was just so cool, nothing speeding him up. He was going to take his time. He was just easy. He was such a good dude. I loved Easy, man.”
“…this one hurt to the bone,” former Lakers Cedric Ceballos wrote in an [Instagram post](https://www.instagram.com/p/DRx45v5Eugj/?hl=en) Tuesday. “grew up as kids together. rest BIG EASY.”