There are no words for this, folks. None that feel adequate. The basketball world lost Brandon Clarke at just 29 years old, and if you listen to those who knew him best, we lost so much more than a talented player.
Jaren Jackson Jr. posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram that tells you everything you need to know about the man Brandon Clarke was. "I couldn't imagine a world where this was even a possibility," Jackson wrote. "I love you forever brother, this is absolutely devastating. I just wish I could talk to you."
They called each other twins. Not because they looked alike, but because of the bond they shared – on the court and off it. For years, these two anchored the Memphis Grizzlies frontcourt together, but their friendship went "far beyond anything on the court," Jackson said.
"You were so much to so many and even more to me," Jackson continued. "You were always a light and you were always so genuine and real."
That's what we'll remember about Brandon Clarke. Not just the blocks, the hustle plays, the energy he brought every single night in Memphis. We'll remember the person who lit up a room. The teammate who was genuine. The friend who was real.
At 29 years old, Clarke should have had decades ahead of him. Instead, the basketball community is left grieving, trying to process the impossible.
"I truly lost my twin," Jackson wrote. "I'm still going to be talking to you always. You will be forever loved and forever missed."
