New court records revealed Brandon Clarke had been dealing with serious legal issues before his sudden death. The filings include multiple charges tied to an Arkansas traffic stop.Brandon Clarke’s sudden death on May 1, 2026, was followed by the emergence of court records tied to the Memphis Grizzlies player. The documents pointed to legal issues he had been dealing with in the weeks before his death.The NBA player was pronounced dead Monday after emergency responders were called to a Los Angeles home around 5 p.m., according to TMZ. The outlet reported authorities are investigating the death as a possible overdose after drug paraphernalia was allegedly found inside the residence.

But as details surrounding Clarke’s death emerged, court documents obtained by the media outlet revealed the 29-year-old had also been scheduled to appear before an Arkansas judge on May 15 in connection with multiple criminal charges tied to an April traffic stop.According to the records, prosecutors charged Clarke with felony trafficking of a controlled substance after authorities allegedly discovered illegal narcotics during the stop. The substances reportedly included Kratom, a pain-relief substance regulated differently across the United States.Clarke was also charged with felony fleeing in a vehicle exceeding the posted speed limit after authorities alleged he attempted to evade officers during the incident.