Clarke

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke’s death in May was caused by the “effects of heroin and cocaine”, the Los Angeles authorities have revealed.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner ruled that the death was accidental., external

The 29-year-old was found unresponsive in a bedroom at a house in San Fernando Valley on 11 May, 2026 and was pronounced dead by paramedics.

The medical examiner’s office also listed the “combined effects of multiple prescription medications” as a “significant” contributor to his death but did not state what the medications were.

The medical examiner added that its full report would be available at a later date.

The Canada-born player was a first-round draft pick in 2019 but played only two games in the 2025-26 season because of injuries.

Paying tribute at the time, the Grizzlies said they were “heartbroken” by the loss, adding he was an “outstanding team-mate and an even better person whose impact on the organisation and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten”.

Clarke played 309 NBA games, including 50 starts, and scored an average of 10.2 points per game.

A month prior to his death, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas on charges that included speeding and possession of a controlled substance.

Clarke was born in Vancouver and was a dual citizen of Canada and the USA.

After playing college basketball at San Jose State and then Gonzaga, he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder and traded to the Grizzlies soon after.

Memphis Grizzlies ⁠forward Brandon Clarke’s ⁠May 11 death ruled accidental, with effects of heroin and cocaine cited.

The Los Angeles County ‌Department of Medical Examiner reported on Friday ⁠that Memphis Grizzlies ⁠forward Brandon Clarke died due to the effects of heroin and cocaine.

The medical examiner ruled Clarke’s ⁠May 11 death an accident. The combined effects of multiple prescription medications were also identified as a significant contributing ⁠condition, though the specific medications were not disclosed. The full medical examiner’s report has not yet been released.

Clarke, 29, was discovered unresponsive in a bedroom at a residence ‌in California’s San Fernando Valley and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The medical examiner conducted an examination the following day before formally certifying the cause and manner of death on Friday.

Clarke spent his seven-year NBA career 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 in 2019-20.

Injuries limited Clarke during ⁠his final seasons. He missed more than a year after tearing an Achilles ⁠tendon in 2023 and appeared in ⁠only two games during the 2025-26 campaign because of knee and calf ailments.

About six weeks before his death, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas ‌on charges that included possession and trafficking of a controlled substance following a traffic stop.

Following Clarke’s death, the Grizzlies ‌remembered ‌him as an “outstanding teammate and an even better person” whose influence extended beyond the organisation and into the Memphis community.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died in May from “the effects of heroin and cocaine,” the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner announced Friday.

The manner of death was determined to be accidental, the department said.

Clarke died May 11 in a San Fernando Valley home, multiple media outlets reported at the time, and drug paraphernalia was found at the scene. The department said Clarke was found unresponsive around 5 p.m. that day and was pronounced dead by paramedics 15 minutes later. He was 29.

“On May 12, a deputy medical examiner conducted an examination of Mr. Clarke at the DME’s Forensic Science Center,” the department said in a statement. “The cause and manner of death were certified Aug. 7.”

Clarke was born in Vancouver, B.C., and played basketball at Desert Vista High in Phoenix, San Jose State and Gonzaga. Selected at No. 21 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA draft, Clarke was traded weeks later to Memphis, where he played his entire career.

He played in 309 games but only two last season because of injuries. Clarke averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds during his career.

“Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friend you could ever imagine,” his agency, Priority Sports, said in a statement after his death. “He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life. It’s just impossible to put into words how much he’ll be missed. We love you, BC.”

“Over the three games you’re definitely looking at below-par performances,” said Willie Miller, who played at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups for Scotland.

“I keep looking back on the Denmark game [November’s 4-2 win to seal qualification] with those outstanding goals, but they didn’t get anywhere near those levels.”

The former defender described the lack of a top-class striker as “a major issue” and said he was “uncertain about the logic of a few selections”.

However, he did back Clarke by adding: “He got us there and that’s what the Scotland manager’s job is.

“He has introduced a real togetherness in the squad as well, which wasn’t always the case.”

With 81 matches under his belt, Clarke is Scotland’s longest-serving manager.

Support from the Scottish FA has been emphatic, with their coffers significantly enhanced by participation at three of the past four major finals.

Euro 2028 will be staged in Scotland, England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland and it will be difficult for the co-hosts not to qualify.

“I’m sure he can go again over the next few years if he wants to,” Miller added of Clarke.

“The new contract was a positive step. I think it was the right thing to do.”

Scotland conceded soft, early goals in defeats by Morocco and Brazil, with former striker James McFadden saying: “The defending was certainly below the standard we’re used to and the errors were costly.

“I just feel the players could have shown more. We could have done better against Morocco in terms of having a go.

“But a lot of people think we should have had two penalties and a red card in that game, which is nothing to do with the manager and players.

“Against Brazil, we gave them two gifts.”

Defenseman Brandt Clarke has agreed to a five-year, $37 million deal to stay with the Kings.

The Kings announced the deal Friday for Clarke, the eighth overall pick in 2021 who has grown into the new cornerstone of their defense.

Clarke had career highs of eight goals and 32 assists while playing in all 82 regular-season games last season for the Kings, who lost in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. He was third in the NHL with 185 blocked shots, and he finished fourth on the LA roster in scoring.

The 23-year-old Clarke spent parts of the past four seasons with the Kings, but has been an NHL regular for only two years. Kings general manager Ken Holland still saw enough to lock down the mobile defenseman through the 2030-31 season.

The Kings hired Peter Laviolette as their head coach earlier this month, and Clarke’s offensive skill fits well into the team’s possible evolution away from its traditional defense-first mentality to a more aggressive club under Laviolette.

Clarke was the Kings’ most prominent restricted free agent heading into the summer, but Holland also must make decision on unrestricted free agents Andrei Kuzmenko and Scott Lawton.

First, Scott McKenna was caught on the ball by Bournemouth forward Rayan and Vinicius Jr skipped past Angus Gunn to score.

Gunn and full-back Nathan Patterson were then caught under a Bruno Guimaraes cross as Vinicius Jr nodded in his and Brazil’s second before half-time.

And Manchester United’s Mateus Cunha made it three after the break on a night where Scotland huffed and puffed, but were ultimately outclassed.

“We lose poor goals at poor times against a team that can punish you with quality,” McGinn told BBC Sport. “We had a few chances but we’ve got to wait now.

“The lads are gutted, we fell short on quality but we gave it absolutely everything. The lads are empty now. It’s unlikely [that we qualify] but we’ll wait and see.

“It’s a bit raw at the minute but we appreciate the support of the fans, we know it’s difficult to be there. Hopefully the journey is not over and if we have to go again, we will go again.”

To think that four-goal first-half performance didn’t even involve John McGinn.

A traditional 4-4-2 brought the best out of Scott McTominay, if that’s even more possible. Although we all know the Napoli star’s position was never in any doubt.

Bologna’s Lewis Ferguson, who captain Robertson said “turned into a man” , externalduring the qualification campaign, again showed his maturity and ability to dictate play in the middle of the park. Cultured, some might say.

But, in truth, the first half was dominated by the work done down the wings by Bournemouth pair Ben Gannon-Doak and Ryan Christie.

Long before he was even in the squad, Gannon-Doak excited supporters. He was the Billy Gilmour of the Euro 2024 team, picking up an injury before the squad jetted off to Germany.

Since then, he’s reminded everyone what they missed with his absence. The epitome of a Duracell Bunny, the 20-year-old dazzled on Saturday.

At times, his end-product has been his downfall, but it wasn’t of concern stateside.

“Ben did himself the power of good today,” Clarke acknowledged. “We know what he can give us.”

Clarke also knows what Christie can provide. In many positions. He was lively down the left, with an instinct to cut in and create.

Many were crying out for Findlay Curtis to start, given his first international goal last weekend, but its hard to make a case for Christie not starting somewhere on Sunday.

It’s perhaps the biggest head-scratcher of them all for Clarke, but what a problem to have.