Former NBA star Ben Wallace launches cannabis brand

He spent his career terrorizing opposing players. Former basketball player Ben Wallace, four-time defender of the year and Hall of Famer in the NBA, has turned to... cannabis. He launches his own brand Undrafted. A direct reference to the fact that the former pivot was never ‘drafted’, i.e. selected in the draft, the moment when NBA teams choose their future players from among the young nuggets. Normally, non-drafted players have a hard time making a career of it... but Ben Wallace has taken his revenge on destiny.

For Undrafted, Wallace partners with Rair, a small chain of five dispensaries. It's based... in Michigan, a state that has legalize cannabis by the end of 2019. Here too, it's a direct reference to his career as a basketball player. Big Ben lived out his finest hours with the Detroit Pistons in Michigan. As a tribute to his career, the Pistons have retired Wallace's number 3.

For the moment, we have no details of the products launched between the former Piston and Rair. But this brand is specialized in aeroponics, So that's a pretty accurate hint. The official launch date is April 1, according to website of the joint venture.

Many ex-NBA players reconverted to cannabis

«Cannabis has helped me with pain and stress during my athletic career. It's no secret that cannabis is a treatment of choice for athletes, and those suffering from pain. So with this Undrafted brand, I'll continue to put an end to the bad image associated with cannabis.», promises the former pivot in a press release.

Gone are the days of career-ending TV consulting. The latest craze among NBA players seems to be the launch of a cannabis brand. In addition to Ben Wallace, there's Paul Pierce, champion with the Bostons Celtics in 2008; former SuperSonics player Shawn Kemp; and Al Harrington, associated with legend Allen Iverson for the Viola brand.

At the same time, the NBA is greatly relaxing its rules on cannabis use. Whereas Wallace, Pierce or Iverson risked suspension and fines for cannabis use, current NBA players are no longer subject to screening tests. Cannabis remains officially banned in the league, but there are no longer any controls.