Brandon Clarke

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke dies at age 29

emphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died aged 29, his USA NBA team has confirmed.

Clarke was a first-round NBA draft pick in USA 2019 but has only played two games this season due to injury.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten,” the Grizzlies said in a statement.“We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”His agents, Priority Sports, wrote on social media that they were “beyond devastated” by Clarke’s death.“He was so loved by all of us here and everyone whose life he touched,” they said.“He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family.”

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died at the age of 29, the NBA team has confirmed.The Canada-born player was a first-round draft pick in 2019 and had played only two games this season because of injuries.The Grizzlies said they are “heartbroken” by the loss. A cause of death has not yet been revealed.“Brandon was an outstanding team-mate and an even better person whose impact on the organisation and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten,” the team said in a statement.Clarke played 309 NBA games, including 50 starts, and scored an average of 10.2 points per game.He was arrested in Arkansas last month on charges that included speeding and possession of a controlled substance. 

Clarke was arrested April 1 in Arkansas for speeding and possession of a controlled substance that was reportedly kratom, a herbal supplement promoted as an alternative pain remedy that is legal to possess in Tennessee. He was released on bond a day later.

He was the 21st overall pick out of Gonzaga in the 2019 NBA draft by Oklahoma, which dealt his rights to the Grizzlies, who already took guard Ja Morant at No 2 overall.

Clarke joined Morant on the NBA’s All-Rookie team in 2020, and the Grizzlies gave him a multiyear contract extension in October 2022.

He tore his left Achilles tendon March 3, 2023, in a loss to the Denver Nuggets in a showdown of the top two teams in the Western Conference. Injuries limited him to 72 of a possible 246 games over the past three USA seasons, including only two this season.

Brandon Clarke's death is being investigated as a possible overdose ... with officials finding drug paraphernalia inside the home the Memphis Grizzlies player was staying at on Monday, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke was found dead at a home in Los Angeles on Monday. He was 29. The cause is being investigated, according to the L.A. County medical examiner.

One of the most impactful bench players in the NBA, Clarke played 309 games and seven seasons for Memphis, helping the Grizzlies reach the playoffs four times.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson was one of several former and current Memphis players who paid tribute to Clarke.

“Just a really good person, a really good teammate, obviously someone who was really good on the court. Just someone I could instantly see, and we would start laughing and start sharing jokes. He was Memphis’ own, for sure. He did his part in the community,” Anderson told The Athletic. “It’s just crazy. It really don’t make no sense. I was on the phone with him two weeks ago on FaceTime. It’s really still raw.”

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical emergency call around 5 PM on Monday ... and when paramedics got to the scene, Clarke was declared deceased, first reported by NBC4.

"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke," the Grizzlies said. "Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten."

"We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time."

Clarke joined the NBA as the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and immediately traded to Memphis. He played seven seasons in the NBA, averaging 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 309 games.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team and his sports agency announced Tuesday. He was 29 years old.

Clarke, who was selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft after a decorated collegiate career at San Jose State and Gonzaga, played seven years for the Grizzlies. He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 2020 and averaged 20.8 minutes per game over 309 games in the NBA.His last three seasons were largely impacted by injuries, but the Canadian-born forward was a crucial part of a Memphis roster that made multiple postseason appearances.

Here is what his agency, Priority Sports, announced:“We are all beyond devastated by the passing of Brandon Clarke. He was so loved by all of us here, and everyone whose life he touched. He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family. Our hearts are so broken as we think about his mom, Whitney, his entire family, and all of his friends and teammates. From high school to San Jose State to Gonzaga to the Grizzlies, Brandon impacted everyone everyone who was part of his life.

Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friend you could ever imagine. He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life. It’s just impossible to put into words how much he’ll be missed.We love you, BC.”Priority Sports added that the family "asks for privacy as they grieve and make arrangements" following this tragic news.

The Grizzlies also released a statement:"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not beforgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time."

Clarke played his entire NBA career with the Grizzlies.NBA commissioner Adam Silver made a statement as well:

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to an emergency call and reported to a residence in the 20300 block of Del Campo Place in the Woodland Hills neighborhood, a little after 5 p.m. Monday. Clarke was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a spokesman. The four-bedroom house was last listed for rent in March at $15,500 a month.

Clarke was scheduled to appear at an arraignment hearing at 9 a.m. Friday at the St. Francis County District Court in Forrest City, Ark., to face felony drug and traffic charges stemming from an April 1 arrest.

Clarke was charged with felony counts of trafficking of a controlled substance and fleeing law enforcement at high speeds, and misdemeanor counts of drug possession and traffic violations. He was released on a $25,000 bond the next day.

Clarke, who was born in Vancouver, Canada, and raised in Phoenix, spent the first two years of his college career at San Jose State before transferring to Gonzaga. Clarke’s standout junior season in Spokane, Wash. — when he was named a third-team All-American and helped the Bulldogs reach the Elite Eight — solidified his status as a first-round 2019 NBA Draft pick.

Mark Few, Clarke’s coach at Gonzaga, said the forward had a “really screwed up looking shot” when Clarke arrived on campus in the fall of 2017. He redshirted that season and worked diligently with a Zags assistant, and “changed his whole shot.”

The following season, Clarke led all NCAA Division I basketball players with a 68.7 field-goal percentage and topped the nation with 117 blocks. Clarke and Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura led one of the greatest Bulldogs teams in school history to a 33-4 record and a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

“He was the most low-maintenance dude,” Few told The Athletic. “He was just so easy to coach. Every time you’d see him walking around the facility, he had a smile on his face. Just a warm, kind spirit and a heck of a player. Our team that year could’ve won the national championship. He was fun to be around.”

Few said Clarke was so relaxed and easygoing that he was “oblivious” when the NBA came calling.

“We had to tell him, ‘Yeah, you’re going to have to leave — you’re going to be a lottery pick,’ ” Few said. “I don’t know how many people you could put on a Mount Rushmore of Gonzaga players, but I would put him up there for sure.”

Clarke was the 21st selection in 2019; the Grizzlies acquired his rights in a draft-night deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He quickly made an impact in Memphis. The energy and athleticism he brought in a reserve role contributed to him finishing fourth in the 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year race.

In his third season, Clarke averaged 10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 19.5 minutes for a Grizzlies team that finished the regular season with a 56-26 record, which was tied for the most wins by a Memphis team in franchise history. The Grizzlies advanced to the second round of the 2022 playoffs, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors. Later that fall, the Grizzlies awarded Clarke a four-year, $50 million contract extension.

Over the past three seasons, injuries slowed Clarke considerably. He suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in March 2023 and then a right knee injury this March. He played in 72 games in three seasons.

Clarke had one year remaining on his contract with Memphis, where he had established himself as a beloved teammate. Niele Ivey, a former Grizzlies assistant coach who is now the head coach of Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team, told The Athletic that she was “heartbroken” to hear of Clarke’s death.

“He was an incredible player, but an even better person,” she said. “I have nothing but great memories of his positive energy, enthusiasm and the way he uplifted everyone around him — teammates and coaches alike. He was the definition of a great teammate and truly a pleasure to coach. Brandon made a lasting impact on so many people, and he will be deeply missed.”

Brad Jones, a former Grizzlies assistant who coached Clarke for most of his NBA career, called Clarke the “unsung hero” of Memphis’ 2022 first-round playoff series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, which was the first time in seven years the Grizzlies won a playoff series.

“He was low key, cool, always had the good look — like he would dress nice but not overly nice,” Jones said. “In the locker room, everybody loved him. On the plane, everyone wanted to be around him. He was just ‘easygoing B.C.’ In all my years with him, I never heard one person say anything cross about him.”

Clarke averaged 12.3 points and 6.9 rebounds during Memphis’ 2022 postseason run. He had a 17-point, 11-rebound performance in the Grizzlies’ closeout win over the Timberwolves in Game 6 in the first round.

“He was driven to be good,” Jones said. “He had decent stats, but for him, it wasn’t about stats. Ja Morant loved him — he was such a good screener and could jump out of the building. Ja threw him lob after lob. We couldn’t ask any more of him.”

Sonia Raman, a former Grizzlies assistant and now head coach of the Seattle Storm, told The Athletic that Clarke’s death doesn’t seem real. He was one of the players she stayed in touch with after she left Memphis.

“Brandon was so special to all of us, and I’m really going to miss him,” Raman, who coached Clarke from 2021 to 2024, said in a text message. “He brought so much joy to our group every day. I always admired his work ethic and the lasting bonds he formed with everyone around him. He was the ultimate teammate and competitor who meant so much to the whole Memphis community.

“I’m lucky I got to coach him and get to know him. And talk Harry Potter coffee shops and cars and injury rehab and family and everything in between over the years.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was also devastated to learn of Clarke’s death.

“As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit,” Silver said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”

"We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke. As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization."

Ja Morant was heartbroken to hear the news of the death of his Memphis Grizzlies teammate Clarke. The two-time All-Star paid tribute to the forward on social media after the news of Clarke's passing broke. Morant shared a series of posts to his Instagram stories, expressing his appreciation for Clarke, who spent all seven seasons of his NBA career in Memphis with Morant. Both players were selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft.The late NBA player launched the Brandon Clarke Foundation in 2025 to help families affected by tragedy in Memphis.

The foundation has since donated to ARise2Read, a non-profit organization focused on helping kids enhance their literacy skills outside the classroom.He also hosted a holiday celebration at the Buckman Boys & Girls Club, where the foundation families were provided with food, gifts and games.Memphis Grizzlies forward and seven-year NBA veteran Brandon Clarke died in the San Fernando Valley on Monday, law enforcement tells NBC4 Investigates. He was 29.According to authorities, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a 911 call of a medical emergency shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday. When paramedics arrived, they declared Clarke dead.Drug paraphernalia was found in the home, and the incident is being investigated as a possible overdose.An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause and manner of Clarke’s death.Clarke was recently arrested in Arkansas on charges including speeding and possession of a controlled substance, according to NBC News.

"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an ever better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time."

Clarke played all seven seasons of his NBA career with the Grizzlies after being drafted 21st overall in 2019. He made the All-Rookie First Team in 2020, and went on to average 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over 309 career games. This past season, Clarke played just two games in December due to various injuries.

Posted on 2026/05/15 09:00 AM