Elden Campbell, a 15-year NBA veteran who played with the Lakers for the first eight and a half seasons of his career, has died at age 57.
The Lakers tweeted about Campbell’s passing, and Magic Johnson also shared his condolences.
Lakers legend and teammate of Campbell, Byron Scott, made a statement on Campbell’s passing to the LA Times.
“I just remember his demeanor. That’s why we nicknamed him ‘Easy E,’ ” 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.”
Campbell was drafted by the Lakers No. 27 in the 1990 NBA Draft. The center averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists during his time in Los Angeles.
He was an ironman for the Lakers, playing in all 82 games during the 1995-96 NBA season and missing just one game in 1997-98 and 1991-92.
Campbell wasn’t just a Laker, he was an LA native who fulfilled every Angelino’s dream of donning the purple and gold. He was also inducted into the 2025 SoCal Basketball Hall of Fame Class.
Campbell earned the nickname “Easy E” and “Big Easy” due to his laid-back style of play. As a Laker, he bridged the gap between the Magic Johnson years and the Kobe Bryant era as the team’s center option until Shaquille O’Neal arrived during the 1996-97 season.
After his tenure with the Lakers ended, he had stints with the Hornets, Pistons, Bulls and Sonics. He won a title with Detroit in 2004, defeating Los Angeles in the NBA Finals. He retired from the NBA in 2005.
Campbell is survived by his wife, Rosemary, his four children, Jay Lee, Jael, Ariel and Aaron and his siblings Elwayne, Charles Jr. and Sandra.