Brandon Clarke Dies at Age 29, Former 1st-Round NBA Draft Pick Made All-Rookie Team with Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died at the age of 29, the team announced Tuesday.

Clarke was the 21st pick in the 2019 NBA draft and spent his entire career with the Grizzlies.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement regarding Clarke's death:

Clarke's representatives at Priority Sports shared a heartfelt message calling him "the greatest soul":

Memphis acquired Clarke's draft rights from the Oklahoma City Thunder two weeks after he was drafted. He was named MVP of the 2019 Summer League in Las Vegas after posting four double-doubles.

Clarke endured multiple injuries throughout his career with the Grizzlies. He appeared in 309 career games over seven seasons and averaged 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 60.5 percent from the field. After he tied his career high with 64 games played in 2024-25, knee and calf injuries limited him to two games this past season.

Clarke was also an active member of the local community in Memphis. He spent his 29th birthday in September donating books and resources to a local elementary school.

"Every time I talk to kids, I try to get that in their minds that school is important, teachers are important and grades matter," Clarke told Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "I couldn't have made it here without locking in on reading, writing and all of that stuff."

Clarke had also launched the Brandon Clarke Foundation to support families in Memphis that faced hardships.