Former Knicks Stars Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert Launch Cannabis Brands in New York

The New York Knicks have finally brought a championship back to New York, ending decades of anticipation for one of basketball's most passionate fanbases. Madison Square Garden is loud again, the city is celebrating, and a new generation of fans is discovering what it means to bleed orange and blue.

While today's roster celebrates its place in Knicks history, several former Knicks stars have been quietly building successful businesses away from the hardwood — including in the rapidly growing legal cannabis industry. Two names stand out: Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert. Both former Knicks players have launched cannabis brands in New York, helping bridge the worlds of professional sports, entrepreneurship, wellness, and adult-use cannabis.

For New York consumers shopping at licensed dispensaries like Good Grades, the rise of STAYME7O and TSA APPROVED means that buying flower, pre-rolls, or vapes is no longer just a product decision — it can also be a way to support brands founded by athletes you grew up watching at MSG.

Few players have had a bigger impact on New York basketball over the past two decades than Carmelo Anthony. After becoming the face of the Knicks franchise — and one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history — Anthony transitioned into investing and entrepreneurship following his playing career, building a portfolio that spans media, wine, and now cannabis.

In 2025, Anthony officially launched STAYME7O (pronounced "Stay Melo"), a premium cannabis brand inspired by his iconic nickname and jersey number. The brand entered the New York adult-use market through Anthony's cannabis-focused agency, Grand National, partnering with licensed New York cultivators to bring product to dispensary shelves.

STAYME7O is built around three pillars that reflect Anthony's evolving relationship with wellness and recovery:

• Rev — energetic sativa-leaning experiences for daytime focus.
• Recover — balanced hybrids aimed at active lifestyles and post-workout downtime.
• Relax — indica-leaning options for the end of a long New York day.

Anthony has publicly discussed wellness, recovery, and alternative approaches to athlete performance and post-career health, framing STAYME7O as part of a broader conversation about how professional athletes manage their bodies during and after their playing days.

Former Knicks guard Iman Shumpert remains a fan favorite among New York basketball fans. Known for his defensive intensity, his championship pedigree, and a larger-than-life personality that has carried into television, music, and dance, Shumpert has also become one of the most outspoken former NBA players on the topic of cannabis and wellness.

Shumpert launched TSA APPROVED in New York as a cannabis lifestyle brand focused on premium flower, wellness, and athlete recovery. The brand was developed in partnership with Glenmere Farms — a New York licensed cultivator — and cannabis scientist Dr. Sha-Ron Pierre-Kovler, giving the line scientific backing alongside its cultural pull.

The name TSA APPROVED transforms a difficult moment from Shumpert's NBA career into a cannabis brand centered around helping consumers achieve a safe landing — a playful reclamation that has resonated with both fans and cannabis consumers navigating the legal market in New York.

Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert are part of a much larger trend. Across the NBA, NFL, and MLB, retired and active athletes have been entering the cannabis industry as founders, investors, and advocates. Several forces are driving the shift:

• Athlete recovery. Cannabis is increasingly part of how athletes manage sleep, soreness, and the long tail of pro-level wear and tear.
• Wellness trends. Consumers are looking for alternatives to alcohol and prescription sleep aids, and athlete-founded brands speak directly to that audience.
• Legalization. State-level adult-use programs — including New York's — have opened a legitimate market for branded cannabis at scale.
• Entrepreneurship opportunities. Retired players bring brand equity, capital, and distribution relationships that few first-time cannabis founders can match.
• Social equity. Many athlete founders have explicitly aligned with social equity goals — repairing the harms of prohibition in the communities most affected.
• Mainstream acceptance. As leagues relax cannabis policies, the cultural distance between professional sports and the cannabis industry continues to shrink.

A decade ago, a player publicly endorsing cannabis would have been a career risk. Today, leagues are quietly removing cannabis from their banned substances lists, and former players are openly discussing how cannabis fits into their recovery and mental health routines.

That shift in public perception has unlocked a new category of consumer brands. Athletes don't just license their names — they shape product roadmaps, talk about effects, and build communities around their cultivars. For New York, where adult-use legalization arrived alongside a strong social equity framework, athlete-founded brands have become some of the most visible storefronts in the state's young legal market.

New York's cannabis industry has matured quickly, with licensed cultivators, processors, and dispensaries forming a real supply chain. Brands like STAYME7O and TSA APPROVED depend on that infrastructure — the same farms, labs, and licensed retailers that supply Good Grades.

For New York cannabis consumers, Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert represent a growing trend of athletes entering the legal cannabis industry on their own terms. Both former Knicks stars have successfully transitioned from Madison Square Garden to the legal cannabis marketplace, and both are using their platforms to talk about wellness, recovery, and responsible adult use.

As New York's cannabis industry matures, brands like STAYME7O and TSA APPROVED demonstrate how sports culture and cannabis culture continue to intersect — not as a novelty, but as a legitimate part of the consumer landscape.

Cannabis in New York is sold exclusively through licensed adult-use dispensaries. Buying from a licensed retailer is the only way to guarantee lab-tested products produced inside the regulated supply chain — and the only legal way for adults 21+ to purchase cannabis in the state.

Good Grades is a licensed New York cannabis dispensary serving adult-use consumers with premium flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, and cannabis products from leading New York brands — including athlete-founded labels as they hit the market. We offer in-store pickup in Queens and same-day delivery across Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island.