Brandon Clarke, a 29-year-old forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, has died, the NBA team announced.
The Canadian-born player was a first-round draft pick in 2019 but has only played two games this season due to injury.
The Grizzlies claimed they are “heartbroken” over the loss. The cause of death has not yet been revealed.
“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.
Clarke played 309 NBA games, including 50 starts, and averaged 10.2 points per game.
He was arrested in Arkansas last month on charges of speeding and possessing a controlled substance.
Clarke was born in Vancouver and was a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, having relocated with his family to Phoenix when he was three.
After playing collegiate basketball at San Jose State and Gonzaga, he was picked by the Oklahoma City Thunder and later traded to the Grizzlies.
His only two games this season came in December, though he did travel to the United Kingdom in January for the Grizzlies’ victory over the Orlando Magic in London.
“He was so loved by all of us here and everyone whose life he touched,” read a statement by his agency, Priority Sports.
“He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement: “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit.”
