Brandon Clarke Rumors

Six weeks before he died, Brandon Clarke sat in the back seat of a deputy’s patrol car, handcuffs digging into his left wrist as he shifted his 6-foot-8 frame in the cramped space. Outside, three officers searched his white Corvette along the shoulder of Highway 64 in eastern Arkansas. Across the two-lane road sat a steakhouse serving ribeye and deep-fried alligator, its empty parking lot waiting for the dinner regulars. Moments earlier, deputies had pulled over the Memphis Grizzlies forward with guns drawn, accusing him of attempting to flee at speeds topping 100 mph. But now, officers were more interested in the blue duffle bag on Clarke’s passenger seat. Reaching inside, they found seven smaller bags containing capsules of green powder and a few chewable tablets. They stacked them on the Corvette’s roof as Clarke watched from the cruiser’s backseat. “Sir, it’s all legal,” Clarke’s deep voice called out with calm certainty in an exchange captured by the cruiser’s dashcam and obtained by The Athletic.

New York Times

The bags were labeled “100% Pure Mitragyna Speciosa,” with handwritten names such as “The Juice,” “Euflooria” and “Gold Rhino.” Online, the various strains totaled $223 and promised a “solid amount of relief,” “a speed boost” and “a mind and body melting burst of happiness in a plant.” Waiving his Miranda rights, Clarke quickly identified what had caught officers’ attention. “It’s just kratom,” he said. In the same botanical family as coffee, kratom has been used for centuries in Southeast Asia. In recent decades, it has developed a fervent following in the United States among people who say the kratom leaf – or its synthetic derivative 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH – helps manage chronic pain, kick opioid addictions and boost stamina.

New York Times

– I’m sorry about the news with Brandon’s passing. How have you been holding up with everything? Cedric Coward: “I appreciate it. It’s been rough. But at the same time, I’m grateful for the time that I had with him. Now you honor his memory by winning games and doing what he was doing with being a great teammate.”

r.org

– What made Brandon such a great teammate? Cedric Coward: “I only had a year with him. But at the same time, it was so impactful due to his love for his teammates. Especially for me as a rookie, he had a lot of love for me. He didn’t treat me like the stereotypical vet, giving me the typical rookie treatment. He did at times, but it was all fun and love. So with him, I thought it was so inspirational that he dealt with so many injuries, but he came in every day with a smile on his face. He came in every day with the same great attitude. He never treated anybody any differently. He never let anybody see that he was in a bad mood because of that. It helped me when I got hurt to do the exact same thing.”

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– In the spirit of you wanting to honor Brandon’s memory by winning games, how do you go about that? Cedric Coward: “It’s about doing what we can to get better each and every day. He was super impactful, especially during the times that the Grizzlies made the playoffs. So it’s about getting back there. Getting back to the playoffs is huge. It’s also about not taking every day for granted. That’s the biggest thing. You have to understand that time is short, not just for the people that you’re with, but for the time that you have in basketball. Anything can happen. Obviously, the most tragic thing happened with Brandon. But at the same time, injuries or contract situations are other parts. There are a whole bunch of things that can happen. So you have to take that into account. Since all of these things can happen, you really have to make sure that you’re doing what you can to maximize every moment that you’re on the court.”

r.org

Jaren Jackson Jr on Brandon Clarke: I couldn’t imagine a world where this was even a possibility. i love you forever brother, this is absolutely devastating. i just wish i could talk to you. you were so much to so many and even more to me . i will never have the words to describe what this feels like . i still can’t believe this . to your family and friends and everyone you were always a light and you were always so genuine and real and our friendship went far beyond anything on the court . i truly lost my twin . i’m still going to be talking to you always . you will be forever loved and forever missed

Instagram

The Spurs announcer asks for a moment of silence for the recent passing of Brandon Clarke and Jason Collins. NBC inexplicably faded to black then cut to commercial in the middle of the moment; a DraftK*ngs commercial played on the broadcast.

reddit

In another post, Morant shared a photo of himself with Clarke and Jaren Jackson Jr. Morant later shared a post from Grizzlies social media manager Devin Walker that featured him with Clarke during the 2019 NBA Summer League when he won MVP. “I’m walking with a GOAT right here,” Morant said in the video as the pair walked off the court.

New York Post

Brevin Knight: Damn I’m going to really miss BC!! 😢 Gone way too soon! He was a genuinely good dude and humble from the first day we met him!! Just a crazy day. One last time for you, Shout out Canada!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾

x.com

On Tuesday afternoon, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson was one of several former and current Memphis players who paid tribute to Clarke. “Just a really good person, a really good teammate, obviously someone who was really good on the court. Just someone I could instantly see and we would start laughing and start sharing jokes. He was Memphis’ own, for sure. He did his part in the community,” Anderson told The Athletic. “It’s just crazy. It really don’t make no sense. I was on the phone with him two weeks ago on FaceTime. It’s really still raw.”

New York Times

“He was the most low-maintenance dude,” Few told The Athletic. “He was just so easy to coach. Every time you’d see him walking around the facility, he had a smile on his face. Just a warm, kind spirit, and a heck of a player. Our team that year could’ve won the national championship. He was fun to be around.”

New York Times

Clarke had one year remaining on his contract with Memphis, where he had established himself as a beloved teammate. Niele Ivey, a former Grizzlies assistant coach who is now the head coach of Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team, told The Athletic that she was “heartbroken” to hear of Clarke’s death. “He was an incredible player, but an even better person,” she said. “I have nothing but great memories of his positive energy, enthusiasm and the way he uplifted everyone around him — teammates and coaches alike. He was the definition of a great teammate and truly a pleasure to coach. Brandon made a lasting impact on so many people, and he will be deeply missed.”

New York Times

Drew Hill: Spoke with Brandon Clarke's mentor and former coach Tony Darden. The AZ basketball community is crushed. Tony shared these videos of his son AJ, who Brandon treated like a little brother. The first from draft night in 2019. "It was really hard to break the news"

Twitter

Tom Orsborn: Spurs had a moment of silence for Brandon Clarke and Jason Collins. Keldon Johnson came into the NBA at the same time as Clarke. "He seemed like an amazing person and I always heard great things about him," Keldon told me. "It sucks. Sending condolences to his family."

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