The cause of death for Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke remains unclear two days after his sudden passing at the age of 29. Clarke was found dead on Monday after emergency crews responded to a 911 call in California's San Fernando Valley around 5 p.m. local time.
According to reports, paramedics declared him dead upon arrival at the scene and drug paraphernalia was found in the home. According to TMZ, a ruling by the Los Angeles medical examiner on Clarke's cause of death was deferred while NBC4 reported that it was being investigated as a possible overdose as more testing is being done. Clarke's body has been cleared for release to his family.
Team and Agency Statements
We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke, the Memphis Grizzlies said in a release via social media. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.
Clarke's agency, Priority Sports, confirmed the news of his death on social media. We are beyond devastated by the passing of Brandon Clarke. He was so loved by all of us here, and everyone whose life he touched, the company wrote on X. 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.
Who Was Brandon Clarke?
Clarke was Canadian by birth, but only spent the first three years of his life in his birthplace of Vancouver before moving with his Canadian mother and Jamaican father to Arizona. Despite his brief history in Canada, Clarke held on to his Canadian roots and was one of four former Gonzaga standouts in 2019 that was invited to the Canadian senior men's national team tryouts ahead of the FIBA World Cup.
He was initially drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was part of a draft-night trade to Memphis. His NBA career began with plenty of promise when he received NBA All-Rookie honours. The big contract soon followed before all the injury issues played havoc with his ability to stay on the court. Clarke spent all seven years in the NBA with the Grizzlies. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists over 309 career games.
Injury History
Clarke's career has gone through the wringer lately, the result of a series of injuries that have kept him out of the lineup for much of the past few years. The injuries began soon after the forward signed a four-year, $50-million US deal with the Grizzlies heading into the 2023-24 season. In March 2023, he suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles. Late in the season the following year, his campaign again ended prematurely, this time by a PCL sprain in his right knee. The following September, with the league ramping up for the new season, it was announced Clarke would require an arthroscopic procedure to address knee synovitis, which he suffered midway through the previous off-season.
Arrest Earlier This Year
The 29-year-old was arrested in Arkansas on April 1 and booked on multiple charges, including trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing in a vehicle exceeding the speed limit and improper passing. At the time, the Grizzlies acknowledged Clarke's arrest, but no formal discipline was announced and he did not face consequences from the NBA for the incident.
