Brandon Clarke, Key Grizzlies Teammate and Leader, Dies at 29

Clarke, a 2019 first-round pick out of Gonzaga, spent all seven of his NBA seasons with Memphis, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 5/12/2026, 3:43:54 PM EDT

Brandon Clarke, Key Grizzlies Teammate and Leader, Dies at 29 — Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke looks on from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Memphis, Tenn., on Feb. 3, 2026. (Brandon Dill/AP Photo)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the team, the NBA, and his agency announced Tuesday. He was 29.

The Grizzlies, Clarke's agency Priority Sports, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver all confirmed the news but offered no immediate details on when, where, or how he died.

"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke," the Grizzlies said in a statement. "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 are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke," Silver said. "Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit."

Clarke, a 2019 first-round pick out of Gonzaga, spent all seven of his NBA seasons with Memphis, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds.

The tributes poured in quickly Tuesday from across the basketball world. Priority Sports, Clarke's agency, said on X it was "beyond devastated," painting a picture of a player whose spirit extended far beyond the court.

"He was so loved by all of us here, and everyone whose life he touched," Priority Sports wrote. "He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family. From high school to San Jose State to Gonzaga to the Grizzlies, Brandon impacted everyone who was part of his life."

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) mourned Clarke as more than a competitor.

"This is an incredible loss for the brotherhood," the NBPA said in a statement posted to Facebook. "We will remember Brandon not only for the immense joy he brought to so many throughout his career, but for the genuine friendships he built far beyond basketball."

Clarke's path to Memphis began in Phoenix, where he starred at Desert Vista High School before playing college ball at San Jose State, according to his Gonzaga University biography. He transferred to Gonzaga for his final college season in 2018-19, where he emerged as one of the nation's most dominant big men—leading the West Coast Conference in field goal percentage and blocks while recording 13 double-doubles.

Oklahoma selected Clarke 21st overall in the 2019 NBA Draft before dealing his rights to Memphis, where he joined fellow 2019 draftee Ja Morant, the No. 2 overall pick. The two made an immediate impact together, with Clarke earning a spot on the NBA's All-Rookie team in 2020 alongside Morant. The Grizzlies rewarded Clarke's contributions with a multiyear contract extension in October 2022.

His time in Memphis, however, was increasingly defined by injury. Clarke tore his left Achilles tendon in March 2023 during a Western Conference showdown against the Denver Nuggets. The injury made him largely unavailable—appearing in just 72 of a possible 246 games over his final three seasons, including only two games this past season.

Six weeks before his death, Clarke was arrested April 1 in Arkansas on charges of speeding and possession of a controlled substance, later reported to be kratom, an herbal supplement used as an alternative pain remedy that is legal in Tennessee. He was released on bond the following day.

"Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friend you could ever imagine," Priority Sports wrote. "It's just impossible to put into words how much he'll be missed."