Ex-Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke’s cause of death revealed

LOS ANGELES - The cause of death has been revealed for former Memphis Grizzlies star Brandon Clarke.

What we know:

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled the 29-year-old forward died from "the effects of heroin and cocaine," and added the manner of death was an accident, TMZ reported. 

Authorities said he was found dead at his San Fernando Valley home on May 11.

Clarke's sudden passing was a major shock as tributes poured out from across the NBA. 

"As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzles, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wrote in a previous statement. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies forward, dies at Los Angeles home: 'The gentlest soul'

The backstory:

Clarke was a Canadian American and spent his teen years playing basketball in Arizona. He graduated from Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Arizona, before he went on to play for San Jose State and the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

He was then selected as the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, in a stacked class that included Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, Darius Garland, Cameron Johnson and Rui Hachimura. Clarke was selected by Oklahoma City and was then traded to Memphis, where he played the entirety of his seven-year career.

Clarke suffered a PCL strain in 2025, and when he returned to action for the 2025–26 season, he played in two games before he was sidelined with a calf injury. In his career, he averaged 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.