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Shooting over the competition, the Brooklyn Nets and NY Liberty make history by becoming the first professional basketball teams to sign a CBD Sponsorship deal.

In 2023, the NBA dominated headlines by agreeing to a green-inclusive future in the latest CBA.  The agreement which took into effect this year included not penalizing players for cannabis consumption in the new seven-year collective bargaining agreement, removing it entirely from the anti-drug testing program. 

The Brooklyn Nets and NY Liberty have entered into a multi-year agreement with MYND Drinks, a brand comprised of wellness and recovery beverages which are 100% plant-based-hemp-infused drinks that help people relax and refresh.

The Mynd Products will be available at Barclays Center events as well as prominent features during the NY Liberty’s theme nights.

“This gives us an anchor for the East Coast in terms of exposure, marketing and expansion.” Adding “We’ve had tons of opportunities to work with different teams but what we really liked about both of the teams was they shared a lot of what our vision was.”

Simon Allen, MYND Drinks CEO and Founding Partner

A Green Future for Basketball

Pushing cannabis forward outside the court, retired NBA athletes are investing in the plant and the community. Retired NBA athlete and founder of Viola, Al Harrington put the play in motion on July 12, 2022, announcing the NBPA as an official partner of Re+Play.

“Re+Play’s partnership with the NBPA will provide consumers with a wealth of trusted, technology-driven products, to help them recover like a pro.  As we move into the next phase of the Re+Play brand with our strategic partners at Amazon, the NBPA, and Walmart, we are excited to once again reimagine how we help athletes of all levels recover from pain with CBD and other innovative technology.”

Harrington alongside renowned trainer Abunasser and Dr. Sanford Kunkle founded Re+Play, a performance-based recovery brand.  Partnering with the NBPA was a historical moment for athletes across the globe as the plant continues to gain acceptance throughout sporting leagues.

Hall of Famer Chris Webber announced he was teaming up with Wall Street leaders to run a $200 million fund to support social equity investments in the cannabis industry in the state of New York.

“I’m incredibly honoured to work with New York’s esteemed officials to right the wrongs for individuals who were unjustly victimized by outdated cannabis policies…”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that they had selected Social Equity Impact Venture, LLC – a minority investment team, led by Chris Webber and entrepreneur Lavetta Willis to manage the fund. The fund would finance and facilitate the startup of up to 150 cannabis retailers in the state of New York, which focuses on providing an opportunity to entrepreneurs looking to enter the cannabis industry that was negatively impacted by the state’s former laws.

Prolific NBA icon Kevin Durant made waves across the world, announcing a collaborative content partnership with Weedmaps. Kevin Durant’s VC firm ThirtyFive Ventures and Weedmaps are coming together to advocate for Cannabis and Sports as well as normalize the conversation through meaningful content initiatives.

Weedmaps was founded in 2008, created to be a comprehensive platform for consumers and focuses on building software solutions for the industry.  Transparency and inclusivity is at the forefront of their mission and the upcoming content partnership aims to break the stigma as well as provide a platform to spark attention and awareness around Cannabis.

Considered by many to be one of the best NBA players, Kevin Durant is winning off-court as an entrepreneur and investor with an eye for tech and emerging industries.

“We talked about this, wanting to get into this space, like you (Rich Kleiman) said a few months back and to actually see it come full circle now and this conversation around cannabis, we always had every day. You know, just as friends and for us to, you know, actually try to tell stories around it and see the parallels with the sports world.  It’s been incredible just to work through the deal, but now to have it signed, and sealed. It’s exciting.”

Putting a premium on recovery and relief, Klay Thompson splashed into the cannabis industry with CBD company JustLive.  Constantly making history, Thompson became the first active athlete to back a CBD brand.  Partnering with other elite athletes, JustLive has created a unique portfolio of products catering to fitness enthusiasts and athletes of all levels looking for natural clean alternatives.

“The stigma behind [CBD] has always been it’s a drug or something you are smoking. But it comes in so many forms. The NBA is pretty progressive, as it’s shown over the summer with social justice and in other aspects. The NBA is leading by example by being progressive-minded. It’s great for sport.  There are so many natural properties. It doesn’t have to be smoked. It can be applied as a cream or used as a pill, and it has hot-cold remedies such as lotion. It’s a natural way of healing…  Whether it’s winding down after a game, working through muscle pain, or recovering from an injury, CBD is a natural one-stop-shop that allows me to prioritize my physical and mental health…”

Retired NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson is using his signature crossover to change the cannabis conversation with a multi-year partnership with Al Harrington’s Viola. 

Viola Brand is a cannabis company founded by Al Harrington with an emphasis on offering premium products, as well as a focus on education, social equity and community involvement. It was named after his grandmother who suffered from glaucoma as well as diabetes and eventually found significant relief after implementing cannabis into her life.  The Viola Brand has dominated the cannabis landscape and continues its focus on increasing minority investors and empowering minority ownership.

“Happy to be joining my brother Al Harrington and the whole Viola Family.  Ready to Change the Game!!”

Known for disrupting and changing NBA culture, it’s fitting that Allen Iverson joins the Cannabis Industry in an effort to break the stigma, change perception and normalize the cannabis conversation.  Iverson’s interest was ultimately pushed when he joined Al Harrington at Viola’s 18,000 sq/ft production facility earlier this year to get a better understanding of the process, product and people behind the brand.  In recent years Viola has created premium products as well as timely initiatives targeted at social justice and equitable offerings, pushing to expand industry diversity, facilitate community building and provide employment opportunities.  With a commitment to increasing minority participation, ownership and education, it was a no-brainer for Iverson to get involved.

The partnership features a host of premium cannabis and non-cannabis products as well as a line dubbed “The Iverson Collection” geared towards consumers from all backgrounds.

“I’ve had a lot of people approach me with business opportunities, but this one with Al was different.  After seeing how devoted he is to this business, and him educating me on how beneficial the plant is, it just felt right. I’m excited to be a part of it. Together, we’re about to change the game.”