All eyes are on Carmelo Anthony! After foraying into the wine industry, the NBA legend has stepped into another equally bold and powerful venture. The former Denver Nuggets player is truly stepping up to the plate. This year, Melo will be a key part of one of the biggest B2B canna–s conferences.

The MJBizCon 2024 is finally here and Melo has been named the headline speaker for the event on December 4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. From his role at Grand National to his new canna–s brand, the basketball legend will share his insights on a variety of topics. Of course, it’s his innovative leadership that has earned him this spotlight.

What is Grand National though? It’s a cannabis-focused agency founded by Melo and like-minded business professionals. His partners in this venture include Lowd Cannabis’ CEO and Chief Creative Director, Jesse Horton, and Brandon Drew Jordan Pierce.

As expected, he’s making quite an impact with his business. Apart from empowering ‘cannabis companies who share their passion for culture, cultivation, and community,’ Melo is also looking to make an impact with his first-ever brand, STAYME7O Canna–s, launched in the $42.98 billion industry, under his agency.

Carmelo Anthony’s good act through Canna–s Brand STAYME7O

Melo didn’t enter the business world unprepared. In a recent interview, the New York Knicks legend explained that his first step was to become a student of the industry, thoroughly studying the concept before launching his own brand. “Over the years, I was studying it, paying attention to the industry, seeing where it was going, the trajectory, taking in the feedback. Given all the research, why not do it? Talk about the benefits of cannabis, what to consume, how to consume,” he says via Forbes. 

That’s not all. Melo’s brand has partnered with NuProject, and half of the brand’s profits will be donated to various nonprofit organizations. Unlike this initiative, which has a noble purpose, some of Melo’s other ventures were influenced by odd reasons. After realizing he had been splurging on wines, he decided to start his own brand, The Seventh Estate, in 2022, which rivals his friend Dwyane Wade’s business, Wade Cellars.

“We understand what the value proposition is I grew up on the Grand National car, we just wanted to tap into something that was very timeless, combining the businesses of all three of us and what we bring to the table,” Melo added.

For interested business professionals who aren’t aware, the panel discussion featuring Melo is titled “Empowerment + Innovation: Reshaping the Canna–s Landscape While Championing Diversity and Inclusion to Propel Community and Culture Forward.” Over 30,000 individuals are expected to attend the event, which will run from December 4 to December 6.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.