Basketball star Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies forward, has died at the age of 29 | Basketball news

Neither the Grizzlies nor Clarke’s organization, Priority Sports, immediately released details about his death.

Brandon Clarke, an athlete of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States, has died at the age of 29, according to his team, the Memphis Grizzlies.

No cause of death was immediately announced. Local media reports indicate that he died at a home in California’s San Fernando Valley after emergency workers responded to a call for help.

“We are devastated by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said Tuesday.

“Brandon was a great teammate and a better person whose impact on the community and the greater Memphis community will never be forgotten.”

Born in Vancouver, Canada, Clarke was selected as the 21st pick overall in the 2019 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, before his rights were traded to Memphis on draft night.

He spent his entire NBA career with the Grizzlies and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020 after averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in his first season.

Injuries, including knee, calf and Achilles, have limited his appearance in recent years. Clarke played just two games in the 2025-26 season.

“We are saddened to hear 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 great passion. Our thoughts are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”

The agency that represents him, Priority Sports, wrote in a words that its members were “deeply saddened” by Clarke’s death.

“He was loved by all of us here and everyone who touched his life,” Priority Sports added. “He was a very gentle soul who was the first to be there for all his friends and family.”

Clarke’s death comes shortly after he was arrested in Arkansas on April 1 on charges of speeding and possession of the drug, also known as kratom, an herbal supplement in Tennessee. He was released on bond the next day.

He signed a multi-year contract with the Grizzlies in October 2022 after earning NBA All-Rookie honors along with teammate Ja Morant in 2020.

Clarke tore his left Achilles tendon in a March 2023 loss to the Denver Nuggets, and the injury limited him to 72 of 246 games over the past three seasons.

The player averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in seven years with the Grizzlies.