Ben Wallace is taking a shot on cannabis. The Detroit Pistons star launches Undrafted, his new brand of cannabis products, strains, and merchandise, on April 1.
The line — which is named as a nod to Wallace being the only undrafted player to be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame — is created in collaboration with Rair, a Jackson, Michigan-based cannabis company with dispensaries in Bay City, Muskegon, Big Rapids, and Lowell. Founded in 2019, Rair says it’s the only Mitten State cannabis company to use aeroponic technology, a method that uses air or mist environments rather than soil or an aggregate to grow healthier marijuana plants with fewer resources.
“Our partnership with Rair formed so organically,” Wallace says in a press release. “I believe the marriage between our two brands automatically sets us apart from any other cannabis line out there. Rair products are of the highest quality, and I’m excited to partner with them on Undrafted, as I’m confident the brand will be nothing short of exceptional.”
Undrafted will offer cannabis flower, pre-rolls, and vape cartridges. Other products will be announced at a later date. Atomic Honey, an ad agency based in Detroit’s Eastern Market neighborhood, created the logo and packaging design for the brand.
Wallace isn’t the first Detroit athlete to get into the cannabis industry. As we reported in our December 2021 cover story, former Pistons Bad Boy John Salley and his daughter Tyla launched the brand Deuces 22 in 2019. Former Lions players Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims also have a line called Primitive Group, while former Pistons player Allen Iverson has released products with Viola Brands, a cannabis company founded by former NBA player Al Harrington. Iverson was recently in the Detroit area to promote his second collection with Viola.
Like many others in sports, Wallace shares that marijuana has helped him with the aches and pains he’s accumulated as an athlete. “There’s no denying that marijuana has a healing upside for athletes or anyone struggling with pain,” he says in a press release. “So, alongside launching the Undrafted brand, the Rair team and I will continue to push to end this stigma associated with cannabis use.”
Wallace and Rair hosted a VIP launch party in downtown Detroit on March 27 to celebrate the release of Undrafted. The event included drinks from Eastern Market Brewing Co., music by DJ Jodi Dro, merch from Smplfd, and art by Mike Han. Wallace will be holding meet-and-greets at Rair locations in April and May. His first stop is at Rair’s Lowell dispensary on April 1.
For more information, visit .
|
|
|
