Elden Campbell, a 15-year NBA veteran who faced the 1993 Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in the playoffs and won a title with the 2004 Detroit Pistons, died while on a fishing outing in Florida.Campbell, 57, also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, New Jersey Nets and Seattle SuperSonics, scoring 10.3 points per game, and grabbing 5.9 rebounds per game.The cause of the Dec. 1 death was not initially reported, but multiple outlets are now reporting how he died.How did Elden Campbell die?Multiple media outlets are reporting Campbell died due to drowning in Pompano Beach, Florida.TMZ first reported the news, and Broward County investigator Thomas Steinkamp confirmed the report to People magazine.From an excerpt in the People story: (Campbell’s sister) Sandra told the New York Post that her brother was out on the water and had returned to shore when he collapsed on Monday.“It was all the sudden,” Sandra said. “He wasn’t sick. He was out fishing.”She said at the time of the interview that they “don’t know what happened.”“He was such a big pillar and a staple to our family,” Sandra told the Post. “He’s going to be terribly missed.”Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who played with Campbell, called it ”devastating news” in his post on X Dec. 3.“I just remember his demeanor,” former Lakers teammate Byron Scott told the Los Angeles Times.”That’s why we nicknamed him ‘Easy E.’ 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.”A first-round pick (No. 27 overall) by the Lakers in 1990, Campbell still holds the career points record (1,880) at Clemson. He played four years there, averaging 15.3 points per game.In 1993, the Suns, led by Charles Barkley, beat Campbell and the Lakers in a best-of-five first-round series, 3-2. Campbell started all five games, averaging 14 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How did Elden Campbell die? Ex-Lakers star was on a fishing trip