Quote from Oladosun Joshua Segun on May 12, 2026, 8:27 PM

A brilliant talent has left the NBA. On May 11, Brandon Clarke, a member of the Memphis Grizzlies since 2019, passed away. He was 29 years old.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” on May 12, the Grizzlies released a message to media outlets. “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 group went on, “We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Authorities informed NBC Los Angeles that just after 5 p.m. on May 11, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical emergency at a San Fernando Valley residence. When paramedics arrived, they pronounced Clarke dead.

Officials informed the publication that drug paraphernalia was discovered in the house and that the incident is being looked into as a potential substance abuse.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver honored Clarke after his passing and referred to him 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,” on May 12, Silver published a statement with X (previously Twitter). “Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”

Clarke's rep, however, recalled the player as “the most supportive friend you could ever imagine.”

“We are all beyond devastated by the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Priority Sports stated in a statement published on Instagram on May 12. “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.”

The company continued, “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."

Clarke's journey to the NBA started in 2015 at Phoenix, Arizona's Desert Vista High School, when he guided his squad to the Division I state championship game.

Prior moving to Gonzaga, he played collegiate basketball for San Jose State for his first two years.

Clarke was traded to Memphis on draft day in 2019, despite having been originally chosen by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 21st pick. According to ESPN, he inked a $52 million, four-year contract deal with the Grizzlies in 2019 to continue playing professional basketball as the team's forward-center combo.

After rupturing his Achilles tendon in March 2023, he recovered and participated in 64 games in the 2024–2025 campaign. However, because of calf and knee problems, Clarke only played in two games during the most recent basketball season, 2025–2026.

Clarke was detained in Arkansas one month prior to his passing on suspicion of speeding, possessing a controlled narcotic, and trafficking in illegal substances.

As per to court documents seen by news organizations, the case was still pending at the time of Clarke's passing. The date of his arraignment was set for May 15.