NBA player Brandon Clarke arrested in Arkansas weeks before death

Brandon Clarke, the 29‑year‑old Memphis Grizzlies forward, was stopped by Cross County sheriff deputies in Arkansas in April 2026 after fleeing at speeds over 100 mph in a Corvette. Body‑camera video released by police shows him handcuffed, searched, and found with multiple bags of clear capsules containing a green powder labeled “100% Pure Mitragyna Speciosa” – a form of kratom often described as “gas‑station heroin” – as well as a THC vape pen. He was charged with felonies for trafficking a controlled substance and fleeing, plus three misdemeanors.

Six weeks later, on May 11, Clarke was found dead in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office has deferred the case pending further testing, so a cause of death has not yet been determined. The incident has revived national scrutiny of kratom’s safety and regulatory status. Clarke had missed recent games due to injuries, including an Achilles tear and knee surgeries.

The release of the footage and the circumstances of his death have prompted discussion among law‑enforcement and health officials about the risks associated with kratom and similar supplements.