“Wine has been a passion of mine for a long time. I really wanted to blend something that’s understandable to people with different palates.” Last year, in July, Carmelo Anthony stated his thoughts about his motivation behind the wine business. That’s why he launched VII(N) The Seventh Estate, his wine brand. Apart from this, he is also involved with the production and clothing industry. Now has his eyes set on another billion-dollar industry.

The Knicks legend wrote, “VERSA” and added the same post on his story with a two-word caption, “Coming Soon.” Melo in his Instagram post is hinting about his entry into the cigar market which is currently estimated at $59.36 billion in 2025. By 2030, Mordor Intelligence projects the industry growth to $97.48 billion. One question may arise is the 10x All-Star doing this for money, or was he already a cigar connoisseur?

Just like the wine business, Carmelo Anthony was already used to smoking. “I smoke a majority of the time at home, right after a game or on the weekend, or I’ll sit outside, out in my yard. Or in a cigar room. I’ll light a cigar and drink a glass of red wine.” The NCAA once stated in an interview. In another interview when promoting his memoir, Melo shared how cigars and wine help him deal with writer’s block.

“Where Tomorrows Aren’t Promised: A Memoir of Survival and Hope,” the book came out in 2021. He added that wine was his go-to writing snack, before revealing his habits. “Oh, absolutely! Wine and cigars were my go-tos throughout this process. They get the creative juices flowing.“In his latest venture, he has partnered up with King Makers Cigar. Yes, the same brand that has launched Kelsey Plum’s cigar. On their website, they have added: “VERSA BY MELO COMING SOON.” There is a season when entrepreneurship roles enamor the Knicks legend.

Carmelo Anthony and his reasoning behind his business endeavors

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The NCAA champion was ridiculed for his love of wine during his NBA career when the drink wasn’t seemingly as popular among the players. But he did not pay any heed to those comments and launched

VII(N) The Seventh Estate. His reasoning for entering the wine industry was based on just three reasons. “New creativity, new excitement, and youth.” Wait till you hear his thoughts on his entrepreneurship journey.

“You might get bogged down, you might get tired, and you might start overthinking. But seeing the outcome of your work and reap the benefits of all the hustle and bustle makes it all worth it.” After his NBA career had come to an end, Carmelo Anthony quickly moved on to create brands like Creative 7 (Entertainment), Stay Me 7o (lifestyle), and his wine business.

Let’s not forget, this year is his potential Hall of Fame year! So, venturing into another business just makes sense to Carmelo Anthony. That too for a product which he has been a long-time consumer of.