OAN Staff Lillian Mann
7:48 AM – Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Brandon Clarke, a 29-year-old Memphis Grizzlies basketball player, died of a potential overdose, according to the team.
The cause of death for the seventh-year Grizzlies forward remains undetermined. However, police discovered evidence of drug-related items inside the California home he had occupied at the time of his death on Monday.
The Vancouver native was the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft out of Gonzaga and found early success in the league, earning NBA All-Rookie honors while averaging a career-high 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
First responders arrived at the San Fernando Valley residence after 5 p.m. local time, and paramedics declared Clarke dead on the scene, authorities told NBC.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement on Tuesday. “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,” the team added.
Clarke suffered from a torn Achilles tendon after he signed a four-year extension contract with Memphis for $52 million in October 2022, which limited him to only six games the following year.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “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.”
He continued, “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.”
Clarke dealt with legal issues in April when he was arrested on drug charges in Arkansas. He also faced charges including possession of narcotics, drug trafficking, fleeing police at excessive speed and improper passing.
Ahead of his final season, Clarke donated $1,500 to a local Memphis school to support literacy awareness and help fund classroom supplies, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
He also launched the Brandon Clarke Foundation in 2025, a nonprofit organization to fund local literacy programs for children.
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