Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke was booked Wednesday in Cross County, Arkansas, on charges including drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, and fleeing, per sheriff's office records.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke was arrested and booked on Wednesday in Cross County, Arkansas, on charges that include trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing in a vehicle while exceeding the speed limit, and improper passing, according to records from the Cross County Sheriff's Office.
Clarke, 29, was booked just after 1 p.m. CT. Cross County is approximately 50 miles west of downtown Memphis, roughly an hour-long drive from the city. The sheriff's office website listed a booking photo for Clarke and showed he was initially held on a "CID hold" — a designation tied to the department's criminal investigation division, which lists combating the manufacture and distribution of narcotics as its top priority.
The Cross County Sheriff's Office declined to provide details about the circumstances surrounding the arrest. Chief Deputy Larry Jones delivered a brief statement in response to media inquiries.
"At this time, there is no additional information that can be released," Jones said.
It was not immediately clear whether the listed charges were misdemeanors or felonies, and the sheriff's office did not specify which substance was involved.
Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo was asked about Clarke's arrest before Memphis hosted the New York Knicks at FedExForum on Wednesday night. He offered little.
"I'm aware of the report, but don't have any comments," Iisalo said.
The Memphis Grizzlies had not released a statement as of game time Wednesday.
Wednesday's arrest was hardly the only thing that went wrong for Clarke this year. He missed the first 26 games recovering from right knee surgery. Back for two games in December, Clarke strained his right calf and never played again. Memphis shut him down March 24 after imaging showed his calf was not ready for high-intensity court work. The Grizzlies expect him available when training camp opens in the fall.
Clarke was selected by Memphis with the No. 21 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga and is tied with Ja Morant as the longest-tenured player on the current roster. Clarke has played in 309 games across seven seasons with Memphis, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. Over the past three seasons, Clarke has played in 72 games total.
He is under contract for $12.5 million this season and $12.5 million next season, with free agency set to follow in 2027. The arrest is the latest setback in a season that kept Clarke off the court entirely.
Clarke had not issued a public statement as of Wednesday evening. No attorney information was immediately available.