Former NBA Player Elden Campbell Found Dead In Pompano Beach

The 57-year-old's drowning death was ruled as an accident

Former NBA player Elden Campbell was discovered dead when his body washed ashore in Pompano Beach, Florida, after authorities received an emergency call stating that it “looked like a dead person on the floor in a white casket.”

“The NBA mourns the passing of Elden Campbell (1968-2025). The No. 27 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, Elden played 15 NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics, Detroit Pistons, and New Jersey Nets. Campbell won an NBA… pic.twitter.com/fHVe7DJV8b

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) December 3, 2025

According to The New York Post, Campbell, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers as a center during his NBA career, was found dead on Dec. 1. Officials ruled his drowning death “an accident,” but, according to Broward County Chief of Investigative Services Thomas Steinkamp, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the incident.

A caller who noticed Campbell’s body phoned police officers to inform them of his discovery.

The media outlet obtained the 911 call made at the time the person reported it.

“It looks like a casket,” the man can be heard telling the operator on the call. “It looks like a human body on the floor — like, dead.

“I didn’t get close to it. But I put on my camera, and I zoomed in, and I was zooming in, and it looked like a dead person on the floor in a white casket.”

Carey Todd, a spokesperson for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, stated that the investigators arrived on the scene before 8 p.m. and found Campbell dead “next to a jet ski.”

He also told the media outlet that “the information about the casket was inaccurate,” Todd said.

“At this time, there is no foul play suspected, and the death investigation is ongoing.”

The 57-year-old played college basketball at Clemson and was selected with the 27th overall pick by the Lakers in the 1990 NBA Draft. During his 15-year career, he averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while playing for the Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics, Detroit Pistons, and New Jersey Nets. He helped the Pistons win an NBA championship in 2004.