Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke gets arrested on drug, fleeing charges

A new Memphis Grizzlies player has gotten himself into trouble this week.

Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke was arrested and booked in Cross County, Ark., according to a report by The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Jail records from the Cross County Sheriff’s Office showed that Clarke was booked on Apr. 1 on charges of trafficking a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal also notes that Clarke was hit with two more charges as well — fleeing in a vehicle exceeding the speed limit and improper passing. You can read their full report on the situation here.

Clarke, 29, is a former first-round pick by the Grizzlies in 2019 who is in his seventh career NBA season. He was an All-Rookie selection in 2020 and averaged five straight years of double-digit points per game to begin his pro basketball career.

But Clarke has been set back by a multitude of injuries in recent years, appearing in just 72 total games over the last three seasons. This season, the 6-foot-8 Clarke made only two appearances for Memphis before effectively being ruled out for the remainder of the season in March due to a persistent calf strain.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are having a very poor 2025-26 season in other regards as well. They have long been eliminated from playoff contention at a rotten 25-51 (12th in the West) and have also had superstar players recently taking public shots at them.