His Commentary on NBA COVID-19 Protocols, His Wine Education and Knowledge, the Origins of his Wine-Themed YouTube Series What’s In Your Glass? and its Upcoming Re-Launch as a Podcast, Bringing his Own Wine on NBA Road Trips, and More
Fellow ‘Wine Players of the NBA’ T.J. McConnell, CJ McCollum and Doug McDermott Also Featured
April 13th – New York, NY—Ten-time NBA All-Star, philanthropist, executive producer and entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony is known for his illustrious career on the court, but did you know he’s also the unofficial wine ambassador to the NBA and the driving force behind the league’s prolific wine culture? Taking the cover of Wine Spectator’s May issue, Anthony talks candidly on a variety of topics—including the evolution of his passion for wine, his storied basketball career and how he is championing diversity across industries.
The May issue of Wine Spectator becomes available April 13. Select quotes include:
On the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols: “The NBA is doing the best they can possibly do, given the circumstances. They’re approaching this day to day, making sure we follow protocols of staying safe.”
On missing the fans, good food and good wine on the road: “The hardest part is the new routine. We’re used to getting to a city, going to a restaurant for dinner. I like to go to other restaurants when I’m on the road in new cities, check out the wine list, check out the food. So I miss that. Now it’s hotel, practice, game. You don’t realize what you’ll miss until it’s gone.”
On sharing his passion for wine with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Paul during a 2015 boat trip: “We had so many conversations about wine. So much was spurred by that trip…I think that was really the start of the wine culture in the NBA. Other guys saw and said, ‘Oh sh*t, I see. It’s cool to drink wine. Look at what they’re doing. They’re having a good time, eating good food, drinking good wine.'”
On his secret for making any room-service meal into a dining event: “I carry my own wine, so I make do. I always have a bottle in the bag, especially for an overnight trip. But if I’m on the road for a week, eight or nine days, then I’m packing at least a six-pack. I just grab six bottles out of the cellar, it doesn’t matter. I just want to drink something good.”
On the launch of his wine-themed YouTube series, What’s in Your Glass?: “During quarantine, I remember being in Zooms all day long, talking to people, and people sharing photos of bottles of wine and saying, ‘Hey, this is what we’re drinking.’ I thought, let’s share a toast. Quarantine is stressful, the pandemic is crazy, let’s sit back and have a glass of wine. I started doing it every Monday, just friends and family.”
On how the YouTube series’ conversations began expanding beyond wine: “It was supposed to be just about wine, but so many other things were happening in our community and society and that led to, ‘OK, we’re talking about wine but we’re also going to address the issues happening in our community and our country…And what better way to discuss what’s happening in our world than over a glass of wine?”
On wine’s place in the BIPOC community (said by Anthony in an episode of What’s in Your Glass?): “I love to see people of color get into a traditional lane such as wine. It’s breaking barriers.”
The May issue of Wine Spectator—which also features NBA players T.J. McConnell, CJ McCollum and Doug McDermott, along with a roundup of Anthony’s favorite bottles, plans for the re-launch of What’s In Your Glass? as a podcast available across all podcast platforms, and more—becomes available April 13.
About Carmelo Anthony
A leader and pioneer on the basketball court, Carmelo Anthony’s storied career as a ten-time NBA All-Star and three-time Gold Medal Olympian has paved the way for the launch of his many brands, business ventures, and philanthropic efforts on a global platform. As an outspoken activist against racial injustice and social inequality, he founded The Carmelo Anthony Foundation over 15 years ago as a vehicle for community impact and social reform through a variety of outreach programs, disaster relief initiatives, and donations. Anthony continues to be a champion for actionable change and fostering representation across industries, and his passions truly merge in the wine industry. As a wine aficionado, beyond working on a wine of his own, Anthony also hosts a weekly YouTube series, What’s In Your Glass? that started as a show to discuss his favorite wines with friends and has since evolved into an important opportunity for thought-provoking conversations with special guests around the state of the country and what can be done to push progress forward. Anthony will be re-launching the viral series as a podcast available on all audio platforms later this year.
About Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 15,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.
