Retired Lakers Star Elden Campbell Went Fishing Alone at Midnight Before His Body Washed Up on Fla. Beach
- - Retired Lakers Star Elden Campbell Went Fishing Alone at Midnight Before His Body Washed Up on Fla. Beach
Anna Lazarus Caplan, Alex RossJanuary 16, 2026 at 9:16 AM
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Elden Campbell -
Elden Campbell was wearing a partially unzipped life jacket when his body was found on Dec, 1 on a Florida beach
Video shows that the retired NBA star went fishing alone, shortly after midnight
Hours later, Campbell, 57, was found tethered to his personal watercraft on Pompano Beach
Retired NBA star Elden Campbell ventured into the ocean in the middle of the night to go fishing before his body was found nearly a day later washed up on the beach in Florida, according to authorities.
Campbell’s body — wearing a red-and-black partially unzipped life jacket and tethered to a Sea-Doo Fish Pro watercraft — was found along the shoreline in Pompano Beach, Fla. on Monday, Dec. 1.
Campbell, 57, was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived on the scene at approximately 8 p.m. that evening, according to an investigation report obtained by PEOPLE on Thursday, Jan. 15, released by the Office of Medical Examiner & Trauma Services, Broward County.
The former Los Angeles Lakers center died from drowning and his cause of death was accidental, according to the autopsy obtained by PEOPLE.
According to the investigation report, video footage showed the retired athlete "leaving a nearby boat ramp alone" at 12:37 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 1.
Later that day, officials found Campbell’s personal items, including his California ID, phone, keys and an energy drink inside the watercraft.
The toxicology report, obtained by PEOPLE, showed no drugs or alcohol in his system.
Campbell’s wife Rosemary told authorities that her husband had a history of Type II diabetes and high cholesterol, but that he prioritized his health and did not have a history of drug or alcohol abuse before his death. Rosemary told authorities that her husband knew how to swim.
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty
Elden Campbell
The 7-foot power forward played nine seasons with his hometown Lakers, who drafted him 27th overall in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft after playing college basketball with Clemson University.
The Los Angeles native later went on to play the rest of his career with several different NBA teams, including the Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics, Detroit Pistons and the New Jersey Nets.
In addition to his wife, the former NBA champion is survived by four children, Jay Lee, Jael, Ariel and Aaron, according to the league.
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
