Grizzlies' Brandon Clarke Died From Cocaine and Heroin, Coroner Confirms
This is the heartbreaking update nobody in the 901 wanted. On Friday, the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office confirmed that Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died from 'the effects of heroin and cocaine.' The death was ruled an accident.
The ME's office also listed 'combined effects of multiple prescription medications' as a significant condition tied to his death, but didn't name the meds. The full report? Coming later.
A life ended too soon. Clarke, just 29, was found unresponsive on the evening of May 11 inside a home in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley. Paramedics found him in a bedroom and pronounced him dead at the scene. At the time, sources told ABC News that narcotics were present and there was no evidence of foul play.
More than a stat line
The shockwave ripped through the league and hit hardest in Memphis, where Clarke spent every one of his seven NBA seasons. A first-round pick out of Gonzaga, he averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds across 309 career games. The Grizzlies called him an 'outstanding teammate and an even better person,' adding his impact on the organization and the Memphis community won't be forgotten.
Clarke finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2019-20, then built a reputation as the high-motor, high-IQ spark plug beside Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. He was the kind of player coaches love and opponents hate to see coming.
Injuries and mounting trouble
But the basketball gods turned cruel. Clarke missed over a full calendar year after tearing his Achilles in 2023 and 2024, and knee and calf issues limited him to just two games last season.
Then, in April, while still sidelined, Clarke was charged in Arkansas with possession and trafficking of a controlled substance. According to a police report, officers pulled him over for speeding and found a blue duffel bag with roughly 1,200 pills. Clarke reportedly told officers it was 'just kratom'—but kratom isn't legal in Arkansas. He was arrested and charged.
The medical examiner's office did not say whether kratom was found in his system at death. The FDA notes the substance is often used to self-treat pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety, depression, opioid use disorder and opioid withdrawal.
No amount of stats can explain this one. A player who brought joy to a franchise and a city is gone at 29. The Grizzlies, the fans and the league are left with questions and heartbreak.