Elden Campbell, former NBA player who played between 1990 and 2005, including nine years at Los Angeles Lakers, teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, and later playing for Detroit Pistons, where he won the NBA championship in 2004, has died aged 57. A cause of death was not announced.
He averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds in his 1,044 matches over 15 seasons. Those who knew him praised his personality most of all, a low-profile person who didn't like to be in the spotlight, but was professional and relaxed. Talking to The LA Times, former Laker player Byron Scott, who knew Campbell from high school, said that 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".
His former trainer at Clemson, the college team where he played before joining NBA, added that he was "an outstanding, giving person".
"The only thing I would say negative about him is that had the potential to be a great player", said Scott, who thinks he never lived to his potential, despite his skills. "He didn't want to be great, to be honest with you. He just wanted to play. But what a good guy".