The basketball world was hit with unfortunate news on Tuesday as Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died at the age of just 29 years. The cause of death has not been revealed at this point.
However, last month, Clarke was arrested for exceeding the speed limit with the intention to flee and also for possession of a controlled substance. This is a tragic loss for the Gonzaga basketball community, where Clarke played (2018-19) before being picked 21st overall in the 2019 NBA draft.
Brandon Clarke College Career Revisited
After attending Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Brandon Clarke was recruited by the San Jose Spartans and he played two seasons there. As a freshman, he averaged 10.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, as the conference head coaches named him Mountain West Sixth Man of the Year.
In his sophomore season, Clarke averaged 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 2.3 assists. He was named to the All-Mountain West First Team and Mountain West All-Defensive Team. Following this season, he transferred to the Gonzaga Bulldogs, where he redshirted the 2017-18 season.
In his junior year, Clarke became the first player in WCC history to win both the Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.
The most notable game of his college career came in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, where he led Gonzaga over ninth-seeded Baylor in the 83-71 win. Clarke registered a career-high 36 points alongside eight rebounds, five blocks, and three assists to become only the third player, after Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson, in the history of March Madness to have 35+ points and 5 blocks. The same game also saw Clarke surpass Gonzaga star Adam Morrison’s program record to score the most points in a single NCAA Tournament game.
Clarke’s exceptional season with Gonzaga was rewarded with several honors, including the West Coast Conference’s Newcomer of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, All-WCC First Team and All-American Third Team by the Sporting News.
To this date, Clarke’s famous block against Tennessee in the 2019 NCAA Tournament remains one of the most replayed highlights from Gonzaga’s tournament run.
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