Former Lakers Center Elden Campbell Dies at 57

The NBA community is mourning the loss of Elden Campbell, a former Los Angeles Lakers big man whose career spanned 15 seasons across multiple franchises. Campbell died on Tuesday (Dec. 2) in the United States at age 57, as confirmed by the Los Angeles Times. The cause of death has not been made public.

🟣 A Laker From the Start

Campbell entered the NBA in 1990, drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent the first nine seasons of his career. As a young forward/center, he shared the court with franchise icons such as Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal, becoming a reliable interior presence on both ends of the floor.

In 1991—his rookie season—Campbell and Magic Johnson helped lead the Lakers to the NBA Finals, giving him a rare early taste of elite playoff basketball.

🔁 Journeyman Career Across the League

After leaving the Lakers, Campbell played for:

• Charlotte Hornets (four seasons)
• Detroit Pistons (two seasons)
• New Orleans Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics, and New Jersey Nets (short stints)

Across his 15-year journey, Campbell carved out a reputation as a dependable, low-post scoring option and a strong rim protector.

He averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his career, with his best numbers coming in 1999 with the Lakers:

• 14.9 points per game
• 8.0 rebounds per game
• Forming a productive interior duo alongside Shaquille O’Neal



🏆 Winning a Title Against the Lakers

In a twist of basketball irony, Campbell’s lone NBA championship came against his former team.

During the 2004 NBA Finals, Campbell was a veteran reserve on the Detroit Pistons, the hard-nosed squad that stunned the heavily favored Lakers led by Kobe and Shaq. Detroit won the series convincingly, giving Campbell the only ring of his career.

He played one more season with Detroit before retiring in 2005 at age 36. By the end of his NBA run, Campbell had:

• 1,000+ career games
• 10,000+ total points
• A legacy as a steady, respected big man who contributed at a high level for more than a decade

🙏 A Quiet, Respected Figure

Although never a headline-grabbing superstar, Elden Campbell was admired for his professionalism, consistency, and longevity. For Lakers fans, he remains part of an important era bridging the Showtime years and the rise of Kobe & Shaq.

His passing marks the loss of a player who made meaningful contributions throughout multiple chapters of NBA history.