Certain things put into stark reality the drumbeat of time. The death of Elden Campbell, a reserve center on the Detroit Pistons’ NBA championship-winning team in 2004, is one of those things. It is the first member of the Pistons’ championship team to pass away, and at 57 years old, obviously, it happened far too soon.
The first official announcement was made by his alma mater, the Clemson men’s basketball program. The cause of death of the 57-year-old, who played the majority of his 15-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and also played for the Charlotte Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics, and New Jersey Nets, is unknown at this time.
Campbell played 1.5 seasons with the Detroit Pistons. My distinct memory is that Pistons president Joe Dumars was explicit about the reasons he signed Campbell to a two-year $8.4 million contract in 2003 was an eye toward an NBA Finals appearance and a body that could guard the behemoth Shaquille O’Neal of the Lakers.
At the time, Campbell said he was offered more money by other teams but wanted to chase his championship dreams with the Pistons.
In their first season together, they got their wish.
Campbell played 18 minutes off the bench in Game 1 of the Finals matchup between the Pistons and the Lakers, scoring six points, with one rebound, four assists, two steals and two blocks. The Pistons won 87-75 (it was a different era, folks).
O’Neal put both Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace in early foul trouble, and coach Larry Brown called on Campbell with 6:11 remaining in the first. With Campbell on the floor, Shaq committed two of his six turnovers, and Detroit’s big man was able to guard O’Neal without fouling. Campbell had only one foul in his 18 minutes of action.
In the deciding Game 5 (of the famous “five-game sweep”), Campbell played nearly 15 minutes and was plus-14 with four points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Campbell returned the next season but did not get to represent Detroit in their return to the NBA Finals (a loss to the San Antonio Spurs). He was traded mid-season for Carlos Arroyo.
Presumably, his last appearance affiliated with the Pistons was on March 17, 20204, when he was in attendance at Little Caesars Arena as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Going to Work Pistons and their NBA title win.
Campbell was a star player at Clemson, where he holds the all-time scoring record and made three NCAA tournament appearances. He was drafted by the Lakers in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft. He finished his NBA career averaging 10.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.