It’s been a little over a year since fans last saw big man Brandon Clarke suit up for the Memphis Grizzliesas he was sidelined and undergoing rehabilitation following a torn Achilles tendon suffered on March 3, 2023.
Although no official return date has yet been set, on Monday a surprising turn of events occurred, as the 27-year-old found himself moved from ‘Out’ to ‘Questionable’ for the first time since his devastating injury.
Somewhat poetically, this news happened to come before a game against the same team he last saw in play, the Denver Nuggets, and on the same court, no less.
Ultimately, the Grizzlies continued to play their game without Clarke being activated, although his presence during pregame warmups sparked increased intrigue as to whether or not the former first-rounder could return to hard court before the end of the season.
While there was serious questions about viability of such a return, March 26 Michael Wallace of Grind City Media shared a major update regarding Clarke’s possible availability ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Seeing him training yesterday before the match on the same field where he unfortunately tore his Achilles tendon, coming back to the end of the loop was a beautiful moment to see. He had a big smile on his face. face, he was nervous.” He felt like he was playing his first NBA game when he went to practice. Everything tends to make him questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Lakers. When he’s out there, like I said before, there’s no doubt that his keep in mind if he’s doubtful he’ll be playing and trying to take his chances.”
– Michael Wallace
Wallace would go on to state that while the Grizzlies likely won’t look to “give him too much because the adrenaline will take over,” he ultimately revealed that the club “expects him to be available unless In case of problem”. or any type of delay or setback.
If he makes the cut, however, then Saturday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic would be the scheduled return date.
TAKEOFF ???????????? @brandonclarke23 pic.twitter.com/JklzIAOWPu
– Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) March 1, 2023
A fan favorite among the Grind City faithful, throughout his five-year career, Clarke established himself as a vital part of Memphis’ rotation due, in large part, to his sensational two-way play and his extraordinary athleticism.
The last time we saw the Grizzlies’ big game, he was posting impressive per-game averages of 10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and just under a block over 56 games played while shooting 65.6% from the field.
While Clarke is to be expected to be a little sluggish upon his return, the hope is that he shows he still has the ability to produce at the same or similar level he was before his injury.
Heading into Wednesday’s game against Los Angeles, all eyes will be on the big man.
