Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died from "the effects of heroin and cocaine," the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office announced Friday.
The medical examiner's office said in a news release that it deemed the drugs to be the official cause of Clarke's death, which it ruled an accident. The office also listed "combined effects of multiple prescription medications" as another "significant condition" related to his death, though it did not specify the medications in question.
"The Medical Examiner report will be available at a future date," the office said in the brief statement.
Clarke, 29, was found unresponsive at a home in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley on the evening of May 11. The medical examiner's office said paramedics found Clarke in a bedroom and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Narcotics had been found at the scene and there was no evidence of foul play, sources told ABC News at the time.
Clarke's death sent shock waves through the NBA, particularly in Memphis, where he spent his entire seven-season career. A first-round draft pick out of Gonzaga, Clarke went on to average 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 309 career games for the Grizzlies.
"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 said in a statement at the time.
Clarke finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting during the 2019-20 season and went on to carve out a key role, serving as a smart, high-energy complement to young stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. In recent years, though, injuries struck. He missed more than a full calendar year of action with a torn Achilles in 2023 and 2024, and knee and calf issues limited him to just two games last season.
In April, while still sidelined, Clarke was charged in Arkansas for possession and trafficking of a controlled substance after officers pulled him over during a traffic stop and found a blue duffel bag filled with roughly 1,200 pills.
According to a copy of the police report, Clarke told the officers that it was "just kratom," a substance that is legal in several states and sold at gas stations in some areas. However, kratom is not legal in Arkansas, and Clarke was arrested and charged.
The medical examiner's office did not indicate whether kratom was found in Clarke's body at the time of his death. According to the FDA, the substance is often used to self-treat a range of conditions, including "pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder and opioid withdrawal."
