CLEMSON — Elden Campbell’s nickname was “Big Easy.”

I think it is obvious, as to why.

First, he was tall. Over seven feet to be exact. Secondly, that’s who he was. It’s how his friends and family described him.

“He seemed like a gentleman. He carried himself in such a good way and good manner,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said earlier this week.

Campbell left us way too soon. He passed away on Dec. 1 from drowning after suffering a medical emergency following a day of fishing in Florida. The former Clemson star was just 57 years old.

“I wish I knew Elden better,” Brownell said.

Brownell met Campbell just a couple of times and they were brief conversations. However, those brief encounters stood out to the Tigers’ head coach.

What also stood out is how everyone talked about Campbell and how beloved he was, and not just in Clemson, but in the NBA, too.

“Everybody you talked to and who I talked to about him,” Brownell said. “Obviously, he was a phenomenal player and probably had a better pro career than most people realized.

“I think, as much as anything, is that when he passed, you had multiple NBA teams doing a moment of silence. That speaks to what he meant to their franchises. That is about as good as it gets.

“He obviously means a lot to a lot of people at Clemson.”

He did, and that’s why his Clemson teammates will hold a memorial service for the former Tiger great on Friday at 6 p.m. The service will be held at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center ballroom in Clemson.

The public is invited.

The service will include testimonies from former Clemson teammates, coaches and administrators.

“There is a bunch of people coming back for alumni weekend, and part of the weekend is to honor he and his family,” Brownell said.

Campbell is expected to be honored during Saturday’s game against Miami, as well.

At Clemson, Campbell will always be remembered as one of the Tigers’ “Twin Towers” in the late 1980’s and early ‘90s. He teamed up with another Clemson legend, Dale Davis, as the two made havoc in the paint for ACC foes.

The two led Clemson to its only ACC Regular Season Championship in 1990, while guiding the Tigers to a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament. That team finished the year 24-8 and 10-4 in the ACC. They were No. 17 in the final Associated Press Poll and No. 13 in the USA TODAY rankings.

Campbell is Clemson’s all-time leading scorer. The former All-American was a three-time All-ACC player between 1987-’90. He was a first-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Lakers, who went on to play 15 years in the NBA, including nine with the Lakers.

He was also a member of the Detroit Pistons’ World Championship team in 2003-’04.

The Clemson basketball program is remembering Campbell and his contributions with a black No. 41 patch on their uniforms.