Former Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke arrested for speeding, substance charges
Apr. 1—Brandon Clarke, the former Gonzaga forward now in his seventh season with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, was arrested Wednesday in Arkansas on four charges, including speeding and trafficking a controlled substance, according to the Cross County Sheriff's Office. The 29-year-old Clarke is also facing charges of improper passing and fleeing in a vehicle, according to an inmate roster listed on the Cross County Sheriff's Office website.
Clarke was booked at 11:03 a. m. PT, according to the website.
Cross County, Arkansas, is located roughly 50 miles west of Memphis, where Clarke has spent the first seven seasons of his professional basketball career playing for the NBA's Grizzlies. "I'm aware of the report, but don't have any comments," Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said Wednesday night before the team's game against the New York Knicks. Clarke has navigated a variety of injuries during his pro career and is currently sidelined with a right calf strain.
The 6-foot-7 forward sat out the first 26 games of the season while recovering from right knee surgery. Clarke played just two games before suffering the calf injury and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. The 19th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Clarke has played in 60 games just two of his seven seasons and has appeared in just 72 total games the last three years.
The athletic forward played two college seasons at San Jose State before transferring to Gonzaga in 2017. Clarke redshirted in 2017-18 before becoming a high-impact player for Mark Few's team in 2018-19. Clarke averaged 16.