NBA forward Brandon Clarke died from an accidental overdose of heroin and cocaine after being found unresponsive in a San Fernando Valley home on May 11. Los Angeles County medical examiners confirmed that the 29-year-old died from a lethal combination of hard drugs. Investigators said drug paraphernalia was also found at the scene.
Clarke was a Vancouver native who starred at Gonzaga before the Memphis Grizzlies drafted him in 2019. He was restricted to playing in only two games for the Grizzlies last season due to ongoing injury issues, which might have led him to look for pain relief. He passed away four months before his 30th birthday on September 19.
Arkansas arrest and kratom discovery
Before his death, Clarke had been on a downward trend and was arrested in Arkansas for allegedly passing multiple vehicles at over 100mph in a no-passing zone. Police bodycam footage from the April arrest surfaced in July 2026, showing officers finding kratom inside his vehicle six weeks before he died. Kratom, a supplement derived from leaves that is often sold at gas stations and known as "gas station heroin," is illegal in Arkansas.
During the recorded traffic stop, Clarke insisted that the substance was legal. "It's just kratom, it is legal," he told the officer in the clip. Officers were also seen inspecting other substances in his vehicle packaged under names such as "gold rhino."
The Food and Drug Administration strongly recommends against using kratom and warns it can cause "liver toxicity, seizures, substance use disorder" and "in rare cases, deaths have been associated with kratom use... in combination with other drugs." The Mayo Clinic added that "people who take kratom believe that it helps them. But kratom hasn't been shown to be safe or to treat any medical conditions."
Tributes from the Memphis Grizzlies
Clarke's passing plunged the NBA world into mourning. Following his death, the team expressed its grief over his passing.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke," the Grizzlies said at the time of his death. "Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten."
