Highlights
- The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled Brandon Clarke's death an accidental overdose from the combined effects of heroin and cocaine.
- Paramedics found Clarke unresponsive in his Los Angeles bedroom on May 11; he was pronounced dead at approximately 5 p.m.
- Clarke, who grew up in Phoenix and attended Desert Vista High School, played all seven NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies.
- The Grizzlies said they were 'heartbroken by the tragic loss' of a player who averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game over 309 games.
Brandon Clarke, the Memphis Grizzlies forward who grew up in Phoenix and attended Desert Vista High School, died of an accidental overdose from the combined effects of heroin and cocaine, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined, ESPN and The Athletic reported Friday.
Paramedics found Clarke unresponsive in his bedroom on May 11 and pronounced him dead 15 minutes after arriving at 5 p.m. He was 29.
The Grizzlies released a statement saying the organization was "heartbroken by the tragic loss" and that Clarke was "an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten."
Clarke was born in Canada and moved to Phoenix as a young child. He was drafted 21st overall in 2019 by Oklahoma City and immediately traded to Memphis, where he spent his entire seven-year career. He was named to the All-Rookie team in 2019-20 and played 309 games for the Grizzlies, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. A calf injury had caused him to miss most of the 2025-26 season.
The Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 07/08/2026 21:45
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 07/08/2026 21:45. Every claim traces to a source.
