Brandon Clarke was everything you wanted in a teammate and nothing you expected from a 21st pick.
Born in Vancouver, raised in Phoenix, Clarke bet on himself twice — first at San Jose State when no one was watching, then at Gonzaga where he became one of the most efficient forwards in college basketball history (68.7% FG, 3.2 blocks per game). He walked into the 2019 NBA Draft and dropped a 36-point, 5-block game on Baylor in the Tournament. People started paying attention.
Memphis got him in a trade and never let go. Seven years. One city. All in.
He wasn’t the star — he was the glue. The lob catcher. The shot-blocker who ran the floor harder than anyone. The guy who made Ja Morant’s highlights possible because he was already sprinting to the rim before the play developed. NBA All-Rookie First Team. Summer League MVP. A fan favourite in every gym he played in.
Injuries stole years from him. A torn Achilles. Knee surgeries. A calf that just wouldn’t let him go. But when he was healthy, you remembered why you loved basketball.
Off the court, he was showing up to elementary schools, donating to literacy programs, quietly being the person the world needs more of.
29 years old.
Rest in power, BC. You gave Memphis everything you had.
#RIPBrandonClarke #Memphis #GrizzliesNation #BlkCosomoUpdate
