NBA Champion Elden Campbell's Cause of Death Revealed After Fishing Tragedy at Age 57

Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• A cause of death has been revealed for former Los Angeles Laker Elden Campbell, who died at age 57 after suffering a medical emergency during a fishing outing on Dec. 1

• Campbell's sister said on Dec. 3 that he "wasn't sick" and his family "don't know what happened" to cause his death

• According to the medical examiner's report obtained by PEOPLE, Campbell died of an accidental drowning

A cause of death has been revealed for NBA championElden Campbell, who tragically died after suffering a medical emergency while fishing.

Campbell, who was 57, died on Monday, Dec. 1 "due to drowning," Thomas Steinkamp, the chief of investigative services for Broward County confirmed to PEOPLE. His death was accidental, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, who investigated the case.

TMZwas first to report Campbell's cause of death.

The former Laker, who played alongsideShaquille O'NealandKobe Bryant, is survived by his wife, Rosemary, four children: Jay Lee, Jael, Ariel and Aaron,according to the NBA, as well as his siblings: sister Sandra and brothers Elwayne and Charles Jr.

On Dec. 3, Sandratold theNew York Postthat her brother wasout on the water and had returnedto 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 thePost. "He's going to be terribly missed."

Campbell's family also released a statement, and seemingly took solace in the fact that he died "doing what he loved." They remembered the former Laker as "a man to whom family meant everything — generous, funny, disciplined and kind, but could shut you down if required."

"A man of God, he passed doing what he loved: fishing out on the ocean, enjoying his idea of an ideal day," his family said.

His death was first announced on Wednesday, Dec. 3 in statements from his alma materClemson Universityand the Detroit Pistons, where he played for two seasons.

"The Detroit Pistons organization is deeply saddened and heartbroken by the news of Elden Campbell's passing," the NBA franchisesaid.

"A proud member of our 2004 NBA Championship team, Elden patrolled the paint with strength and skill, playing an important role during one of the most memorable chapters in franchise history. Beyond his contributions on the court, Elden's calm presence and warm personality made him beloved by teammates, fans and the community alike. Our hearts and prayers are with Elden's family and friends during this difficult time."

"I loved throwing lobs to Elden because he could jump out the gym and had so much talent!"Magic Johnson, who played parts of three seasons (1990, 1991 and 1996) with Campbell,wrote on X. "Cookie and I are praying for his family and Lakers Nation as they mourn during this difficult time. Rest in peace Big E!"

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NBA Champion Elden Campbell's Cause of Death Revealed After Fishing Tragedy at Age 57

Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty NEED TO KNOW A cause of death has been revealed for former Los Angeles Laker Elden Campbell, who died at ag...

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A supersized World Cup field begins taking shape at Friday's draw

WASHINGTON (AP) — FIFA has invited more teams than ever for a World Cup priced largely for fans in the 1%. The process of figuring out which teams in the expanded 48-nation field will play where begins with Friday's draw at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Cape Verde,Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan will appear in soccer's premier event for the first time when next year's tournament is played from June 11 to July 19 at16 sites in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

"I'm quite optimistic because to qualify you need to beat the other teams of your confederations, and that's a sign of quality," former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Thursday as red carpets were installed at the Kennedy Center. "The teams are not there by coincidence."

President Donald Trump of the U.S. and Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexicoare expected along with Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney. Instead of soccer gear, the Kennedy Center gift shop still was filled with socks of Shakespeare, Beethoven and Verdi along with shelves of red and white holiday nutcrackers.

The world's top 11-ranked teams have all qualified, withNo. 12 Italy among 22 nations competing in playoffsfor the final six berths to be decided March 31.

Led by captain Lionel Messi, who turns 39 during the tournament, Argentina seeks to become the first nation to win consecutive World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Messi will look to extend his record of 26 games played and enters with 13 career goals, three shy of Miroslav Klose's record.

Games will be played at 11 NFL stadiums along with three in Mexico and two in Canada, where construction is underway to add 17,000 temporary seats to BMO Field, raising capacity to around 45,000. Attendance will top the record 3.59 million in 1994.

"We basically set the new tone in terms of attendance, in terms of surrounding the tournament with a lot of entertainment and glamor," said Alan Rothenberg, head organizer of the 1994 World Cup in the U.S. "We did a lot of things that kind of broke the ice with respect to how you present the tournament as something other than just a soccer tournament."

FIFA announcedinitial ticket prices of $60-$6,730, saying they would be dynamic, up from $25-$475 for the 1994 tournament in the United States. It has refused to release a complete list of prices, as it had for every other World Cup since at least 1990. The governing body also is selling parking passes for up to $175 for a single match, a semifinal in Arlington, Texas.

FIFA spokesman Bryan Swanson did not respond to a request for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss ticket prices.

Sixty-four nations will participate in the draw, 30% of FIFA's members, but just 42 countries are assured of sports. Among the playoff teams, Albania, Kosovo, New Caledonia and Suriname are trying to reach the World Cup for the first time.

With the expansion, the top two teams in each of 12 groups advance along with the eight best third-place teams. Some nations could reach the new round of 32 with three points.

"I think we're going to be in pretty good shape," said former U.S. midfielder Tab Ramos, who during his playing days mapped out permutations for advancement. "We have a good team, so I'm not worried as much as I've been in the past about about this draw."

Opta Analyst's computer projects the U.S. has a 0.9% chance of winning — the Americans haven't reached the semifinals since the first World Cup in 1930. Spain tops the forecast at 17%, followed by France (14.1%), England (11.8%), Argentina (8.7%), Germany (7.1.%), Portugal (6.6%), Brazil (5.6%) and the Netherlands (5.2%).

In a new twist, FIFA said the top four teams in therankings— Spain, Argentina, France and England — will avoid each other until the semifinals if they finish first in their first-round groups.

Specific sites for most matchups and kickoff times won't be announced until Saturday. In 1994, there were just seven night games.

A team's group play sites will be restricted to an Eastern, Central and Western regional

The 1994 World Cup draw in Las Vegas was apolitical, featuring performances by Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, James Brown and Vanessa Williams plus comedian Robin Williams, who called the draw screen "the world's largest keno board," yelled "Bingo!" when Greece was selected.

This draw figures to be more akin to the ceremony for 2018 tournament in Moscow, opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump, who has campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize, is expected to be awarded FIFA's own peace prizethat Infantino establishedafter traveling to several events with Trump.

But the main event is the pulling of balls from bowls to create groups. Retired tars Tom Brady of the NFL, Shaquille O'Neal of the NBA and Wayne Gretzky of the NHL along with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge will assist in a ceremony to be run by former England captain Rio Ferdinand.

"There is the angst and the looks of sheer terror and disappointment and/or joy and elation from the coaches and from the staffs," said former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox's lead soccer analyst. "It really gets kind of real for people."

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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A supersized World Cup field begins taking shape at Friday's draw

WASHINGTON (AP) — FIFA has invited more teams than ever for a World Cup priced largely for fans in the 1%. The process of...

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UAB reportedly expected to hire interim Alex Mortensen, son of late Hall of Fame reporter, as full-time coach

UAB is expected to remove the interim tag from Alex Mortensen's title and name him the program's full-time head coach,ESPN's Pete Thamel reportedThursday.

Mortensen, the 40-year-old son of the late Pro Football Hall of Fame reporter Chris Mortensen, took the reinsafter Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer's two-plus-season stint as head coach came to an end on Oct. 12. At the time, the Blazers were 2-4 in Dilfer's third go-around.

Dilfer went 9-21, including an 0-15 record in road games and 5-14 in American conference competition.

Mortensen, previously the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, delivered a memorable league win over then-undefeated and No. 22 Memphis six days into his run as interim head coach and rounded out the season by conducting a come-from-behind victory on the road versus Tulsa.

In between, he had to navigate the aftermath of aviolent pregame incident that took place in a UAB facility. Hours before the Blazers' Senior Day game against South Florida, 20-year-old offensive linemanDaniel Mincey allegedly stabbed two teammates with a knifeon campus,reportedlyat the Blazers' football operations building. Mincey, who is listed as a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman from Pompano Beach, Florida, has been charged with attempted murder and assault,according to The Associated Press, which cited court records filed in Jefferson County, Alabama, in its Nov. 24 report.

The two injured players, reportedly identified in court documents as defensive linemen Joshua Underwood and JaSire Peterson, were released from the hospital, Mortensen confirmed two days after UAB suffered a 48-18 defeat to USF.

While the Blazers played against USF to honor their seniors, Mortensen promoted counseling services available for his team and gave players the option to step away from subsequent practice if they deemed necessary.

UAB had 42 total absences when it came back to beat Tulsa 31-24 the following week,per the program's postgame notes. With that victory, the Blazers finished the 2025 campaign with a 4-8 record.

They were 2-4 with Mortensen as interim head coach. Now he's poised to lead the program in a full-time role.

Before Dilfer hired Mortensen ahead of the 2023 season, the former Arkansas and Samford quarterback worked at Alabama for nine years under Nick Saban, first as a graduate assistant from 2014 to 2016 and then as an analyst from 2017-19 as well as from 2020-22.

Mortensen is known for his offensive chops. In his first season as UAB's OC, the Blazers ranked 51st nationally with 29.9 points per game.

UAB will look to regain the success it sustained under Bill Clark, who resigned in 2022 because of back issues after guiding the Blazers to a 43-20 record in five seasons following the school's two-year hiatus from the gridiron.

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UAB reportedly expected to hire interim Alex Mortensen, son of late Hall of Fame reporter, as full-time coach

UAB is expected to remove the interim tag from Alex Mortensen's title and name him the program's full-time hea...

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Florida lawmakers urge Trump to reject drilling off state's western coast

Dec 4 (Reuters) - Florida's entire U.S. congressional delegation on Thursday urged President Donald Trump to leave their state out ​of a plan by his administration to expand oil ‌and gas drilling to new coastal areas, saying it would threaten the state's ‌military and tourism industries.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The letter to Trump from Florida Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody and the state's 28 members of the House of Representatives was a rare bipartisan pushback against the ⁠Republican president's policies. Most ‌of Florida's members of Congress are Republicans.

"The risks posed by new offshore drilling far outweigh any ‍short-term gains," the lawmakers said in their letter.

BY THE NUMBERS

More than 50,000 jobs in the Florida Panhandle are tied to operations at military facilities ​connected to the Gulf Test Range, a vast area over ‌the Gulf of Mexico where advanced weapons and air combat tactics are tested, the letter said, noting that drilling would result in encroachment of the Gulf Test Range.

Florida beaches generate $127.7 billion a year in tourism spending and support 2.1 million jobs.

The Interior Department ⁠last month unveiled a proposal that ​opened the door to future leasing in ​the eastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico, which has long been protected from energy development because it ‍is used for ⁠military testing and training. Florida officials, including Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, have opposed changes to that policy.

Trump's Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, ⁠is on the eastern side of the state.

The White House did ‌not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by ‌Nichola Groom; Editing by Leslie Adler)

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Florida lawmakers urge Trump to reject drilling off state's western coast

Dec 4 (Reuters) - Florida's entire U.S. congressional delegation on Thursday urged President Donald Trump to leave th...

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Who is Brian Cole? FBI identifies suspect in Jan. 6 DC pipe bomb case

In a move that could soon bring closure to a mystery investigated by federal law enforcement for nearly five years, the FBI announced a person has been arrested for allegedlyplanting pipe bombs in Washingtonahead of theCapitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

The suspect was identified as Brian Jerome Cole Jr., 30, of Northern Virginia, Attorney GeneralPam Bondisaid in a Thursday, Dec. 4, news briefing.

The pipe bombs were placed near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees on the night of Jan. 5, 2021, the FBI previously said. The explosives did not detonate.

Federal law enforcement officials said they located Cole by using evidence they already had – not a new tip – including cell phone data and purchasing records that a special team of investigators was brought in to reevaluate.

"That evidence has been sitting there collecting dust," Bondi said.

But who is Brian Cole? Here's what we know so far about the alleged suspect.

FBI arrest:Person suspected of planting pipe bombs ahead of Jan. 6 riots in custody

Who is Brian Cole?

Brian Cole, 30, lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, a community in Prince William County located about 20 miles south of Washington.

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reviewed by USA TODAY, Cole resides in a home with his mother and other family members.

Prince William County Public Schools Director of Communication Diana Gulotta confirmed to USA TODAY that Cole graduated from Hylton High School in 2013.

According to public records reviewed by USA TODAY, Cole does not have a criminal history but does have several traffic violations on file, which took place after the pipe bomb incident.

What charges is Brian Cole facing?

Cole is charged with use of an explosive device, Bondi told reporters.

"There could be more charges to come," Bondi said Thursday afternoon. "There was no new tip. There was no new witness, just good diligent police work and prosecutorial work."

Documents say Cole bought pipe bomb components from Home Depot, Walmart

Cole's credit card and checking account records showed that he purchased multiple items as early as October 2019 through late 2020 consistent with the components used to manufacture two pipe bombs placed at the RNC and DNC offices, according to his 7-page charging document.

Cole bought components including a galvanized pipe, end caps, electrical wire, battery clips and white kitchen timers,court recordsalso said. Investigators tracked Cole's purchases at Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart and Micro Center.

The suspect bought items including safety glasses, a wire-stripping tool and a machinist's file, which could be used to make pipe bombs, officials said. Cole then allegedly continued to buy the components after the pipe bombs were found, including a kitchen timer, more nine-volt batteries and galvanized pipes during January 2021.

A call to Cole's phone number listed in public records, as well as to other relatives, went unanswered on Dec. 4.

Provider records show Cole's cell phone connected with towers consistent with his being in the area of the RNC and DNC offices on Jan. 5, 2021.

In addition, court documents continued, a Virginia license plate registered to a 2017 Nissan Sentra that he owns was captured on camera the same day at 7:10 p.m., at the South Capitol Street exit from Interstate 395 South. That's "less than one-half mile from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed on foot," records said.

It was not immediately clear if he had obtained legal counsel.

What to know about the case:ICE deports student headed home for Thanksgiving.

FBI, local law enforcement search home

On Thursday, Dec. 4, Prince William County police and FBI agents sealed the street in front of the suspect's home.

It was not immediately known what law enforcement recovered, if anything.

USA TODAY has reached out to the FBI and Prince William County police for more information.

Contributing: Bart Jansen, Sarah D. Wire with USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who is Brian Cole, the Washington, DC pipe bomb suspect?

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Who is Brian Cole? FBI identifies suspect in Jan. 6 DC pipe bomb case

In a move that could soon bring closure to a mystery investigated by federal law enforcement for nearly five years, the F...

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Leader of anti-Hamas militia armed by Israel killed in Gaza

The leader of an anti-Hamas group that was armed and backed by Israel has been killed in Gaza, the group confirmed Thursday, in a potential blow to Israel's post-war plans in the shattered territory.

Yasser Abu Shabab, who led a militia controlling a patch of territory in Rafah in southern Gaza, was killed while trying to "de-escalate a conflict" between members of a family in a public square, the organization said. One Israeli source said earlier the death resulted from "internal clashes."

Two Israeli sources said that Israel tried to evacuate Abu Shabab to a hospital in the country's south before he was pronounced dead.

Abu Shabab was the leader of the most prominent of several Israeli-backed armed groups in Gaza, and his death could prove to be a setback to Israel's still-unclear plans for the future of the enclave. Abu Shabab, who was in his early 30s, appeared to be spreading his reach slowly in southern Gaza as he tried to carve out an area free of Hamas. Israel intended to use Abu Shabab's militia to weaken Hamas, as an alternative to the militant group's Islamist rule.

Israel also planned to use Abu Shabab's organization, which he called the "Popular Forces," to secure reconstruction projects inside Israeli-occupied Gaza under the next phase of the ceasefire deal. During the last several months of the war, Abu Shabab helped control the flow of aid from the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza.

Hamas, which had previously vowed to target Abu Shabab, called him a traitor but did not explicitly claim responsibility for his death. The militant group said he faced "the inevitable fate of anyone who betrays their people and homeland, agreeing to be a pawn for the Occupation."

In a statement, Hamas commended all those who denounced Abu Shabab and others "collaborating" with Israel.

"We emphasize that the Occupation, just as it failed to protect its agents, cannot protect any of its collaborators," Hamas added.

The Popular Forces stressed that Abu Shabab was not killed by Hamas.

"We strongly deny any and all misleading reports suggesting that he was assassinated by thugs from the terroristic gang Hamas, as it is way too weak to take out the General Leader," the group said in a statement.

Pictures circulated on multiple Gaza messaging groups showed a number of Palestinians celebrating Abu Shabab's death. One picture obtained by CNN shows Abu Shabab with a red "X" over his face and calls him a "pig."

Abu Shabab was the leader of one of several loosely organized Palestinian gangs that Israel backs in Gaza, and its members largely stay within the Israeli-occupied part of the enclave.

Abu Shabab's group, which he claimed numbered in the hundreds, would carry out raids in Hamas-controlled territory before retreating quickly back to Israel's protection, according to Muhammad Shehada, a Gaza expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations.

In the absence of a post-war governance plan for Gaza, Israel has backed these armed groups, which have staked out small bits of territory in different parts of the strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the gangs "a good thing," even as his political rivals attacked him for arming "the equivalent of ISIS in Gaza."

The ongoing operation to arm the groups, including that of Abu Shabab, was authorized without security cabinet approval, two Israeli officials told CNN in June.

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Leader of anti-Hamas militia armed by Israel killed in Gaza

The leader of an anti-Hamas group that was armed and backed by Israel has been killed in Gaza, the group confirmed Thursday, in a potential...

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Cornerback Darius Slay puts off reporting to Bills in order to contemplate his future, agent says

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Cornerback Darius Slay has put off reporting to the Buffalo Bills to instead take time to consider his future, the player's agent confirmed Thursday.

"Slay is honored that a first-class organization like the Bills claimed him, but he is going to take some time away from football right now and decide in the next few days if he wants to keep playing," Drew Rosenhaus wrote in a text to The Associated Press.

Slay has 13 seasons of NFL experience, and the decision to take some time comes a day afterthe Bills claimed him on waiversfollowing his release in Pittsburgh. In his first season in Pittsburgh, Slay was inactive in two of the Steelers' past three outings after losing his starting job.

He was cut to make room for the team claiming receiver Adam Thielen on waivers.

Slay was not present at Bills practice on Thursday, with the team declining to comment.

Complicating matters further, Buffalo (8-4) may have lost a player for nothing if Slay decides not to continue playing. In claiming Slay, the Bills released fourth-year defensive back Ja'Marcus Ingram, who on Thursday was claimed by the Houston Texans.

Slay, meantime, takes up a spot on Buffalo's 53-player roster as the team prepares to host Cincinnati (4-8) on Sunday. The Bills regarded Slay as an upgrade over Ingram in a bid to add experienced depth to a position where veteran Tre'Davious White and rookie Maxwell Hairston have split time opposite starter Christian Benford.

The 34-year-old Slay was an All-Pro in 2017 while playing his first seven seasons in Detroit. He spent another five years in Philadelphia, where he won a Super Bowl last season.

Overall, he has 176 starts in 187 games, with 28 interceptions, though none in his past two regular seasons.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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Cornerback Darius Slay puts off reporting to Bills in order to contemplate his future, agent says

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Cornerback Darius Slay has put off reporting to the Buffalo Bills to instead take time to consi...

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