Grizzlies' Clarke arrested on trafficking, speeding charges
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke was arrested Wednesday in Arkansas and booked into Cross County Jail on charges including improper passing, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing, exceeding the speed limit and trafficking a controlled substance. Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters before the team's game against the New York Knicks that night that he was aware of the report but had no comment.
Clarke, a seventh-year NBA player out of Gonzaga, has missed most of the 2025-26 season due to right knee surgery followed by a right calf strain. The Grizzlies ruled him out for the remainder of the season after he played just two games and announced last month that recent tests showed he needed more time to heal before an expected return next season.
Drafted 21st overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 and traded to Memphis on draft night, Clarke earned All-Rookie honors in 2019-20 with averages of 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game off the bench. Over seven seasons with the Grizzlies, he has appeared in 309 games with 50 starts, averaging 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
Clarke remains sidelined by injury with no immediate team update on his arrest.
