Brandon clarke last played for the Grizzlies on Dec. 20.. According to Action News 5, Cross County sheriff David West said Clarke was arrested on allegations of speeding, reckless driving and possessing a controlled substance. He was booked at 1:03 p.m. local time.
Sources told the Daily Memphian that Clarke allegedly hit 100 mph during a high-speed chase and reportedly had more than 200 grams of kratom in his car, per Drew Hill. Kratom is a tree from Southeast Asia. It’s leaves can be used as a stimulant or sedative depending on the amount used.
It can also “lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence, per the DEA’s website. Kratom is considered illegal in Arkansas, where Clarke was arrested. Its legality varies from state to state.
clarke was reportedly released from jail following his arrest, per the Daily Memphian The arrest comes at the end of a lost season for the 29-year-old Clarke, who has played only two games over the course of 2025-26 He missed the beginning of the season while dealing with knee inflammation, then sustained a calf injury in his second game back in December that has prevented him from playing since.
A return seemed possible for clarke after that, but the Grizzlies announced last week that he would miss the remainder of the season after new imaging showed he needed additional healing to be cleared for high-intensity court work. Once a reliable rotation player for the Grizzlies, Clarke has been a sporadic presence over the past three years. He tore his Achilles in March 2023, causing him to miss the end of the season and all but six games in 2023-24.
He came back healthy in 2024-25, but again missed the end of the season after sustaining a PCL strain. The Grizzlies drafted Clarke 21st overall in 2019. He is tied with Ja Morant as the longest-tenured player on the team’s roster.
