The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced on Friday that Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died from the effects of heroin and cocaine.
The agency ruled Clarke's death on May 11 an accident. In addition, the combined effects of several prescription drugs were also determined to be a significant contributing factor, though the specific identities of these drugs were not disclosed. The full report from the medical examiner has not been released.
Clarke, 29, was found unresponsive in a bedroom of a building in the San Fernando Valley, California, and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The medical examiner conducted an autopsy the following day before officially certifying the cause and circumstances of death on Friday.
Clarke spent all seven of his NBA seasons with Memphis after finishing his college career at Gonzaga. He averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over 309 games (50 starts) and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting for the 2019-20 season.
Injuries limited Clarke in his final seasons. He missed more than a year after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2023 and appeared in only two games during the 2025-26 season due to knee and calf injuries.
Around six weeks before his death, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas on charges related to drug possession and trafficking after a traffic stop.
Following Clarke's death, the Grizzlies remembered him as an “excellent teammate and an even better person,” with an impact that extended beyond the organization and into the Memphis community.
