Coroner: Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke died from effects of cocaine, heroinTom SchadAug 7, 2026, 04:56 PM ETClose
- Tom Schad is a Washington D.C.-based reporter on ESPN’s investigative and enterprise team. Reach him at tom.schad@espn.com.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke’s death has been ruled an accident due to heroin and cocaine, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office declared Friday.
The medical examiner’s office stated in a news release that the official cause of Clarke’s death earlier this year was found to be “the effects of heroin and cocaine.”
“The Medical Examiner report will be available at a future date,” the office stated in a brief statement.
Clarke, 29, was found unresponsive at a home in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley on the evening of May 11. Sources told ABC News at the time that narcotics had been found at the scene and that there was no evidence of foul play.
Clarke’s death sent shockwaves through the NBA — particularly in Memphis, where he spent his entire seven-season career.
“Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten,” the team stated in a statement at the time.
