Elden Campbell, former NBA champion and Clemson player, passes away at age 57

Elden Campbell, the 6-foot-11 center who spent 15 seasons in the NBA and claimed a championship with the Detroit Pistons, has passed away at the age of 57. His family confirmed his death to the Pistons, stating that he died on Monday. No cause has been disclosed.

Born in Los Angeles, Campbell rose to prominence at Morningside High School before attending Clemson University. During the 1989-90 season, he earned first-team All-ACC honors and became Clemsons all-time leading scorer with 1,880 points. That same year, he helped lead the Tigers to the ACC regular-season title and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Campbell was selected in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft by his hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played for nine seasons. Although he had significant success with the Lakers, he did not win an NBA championship until joining the Detroit Pistons, who defeated the Lakers in five games in the 2004 Finals.

Over his NBA career, Campbell appeared in 1,044 games, scoring over 10,000 points and recording more than 1,600 blocks. He averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. During the 1996-97 season with the Lakers, playing alongside Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant, he averaged 14.9 points per game. His peak performance came in 1999-2000 with the Charlotte Hornets, when he posted 15.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Campbell also had stints with the New Orleans Hornets, Seattle Supersonics, and New Jersey Nets before retiring in 2005.

Author: Sophia Brooks