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Kevin Durant is an NBA superstar who has been very open about his enthusiasm for weed. He has been an advocate for the removal of the substance from the NBA's list of banned substances, and he has been successful in his efforts. Durant has made headlines for his cannabis use, such as when he admitted to being high during his appearance on My Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. Durant has also been an investor in several cannabis-related companies, including the cannabis e-commerce platform WeedMaps. While some may question his habits, Durant continues to be one of the league's most competitive players and top superstars.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Will Durant (Kevin Durant) |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Team | Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns |
| Weed usage | Durant has been open about his enthusiasm for weed and its medical benefits. He has also admitted to being high during his appearance on "My Guest Needs No Introduction" with David Letterman. |
| Weed in the NBA | Durant has been an advocate for removing the ban on weed in the NBA. He has invested in several cannabis-related companies and has lobbied NBA commissioner Adam Silver to stop the league from penalizing the use of the drug. The NBA stopped testing for marijuana during the 2020 season. |
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What You'll Learn
Kevin Durant's role in lifting the NBA's cannabis ban
Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns forward and one of the top scorers in NBA history, has been an open and vocal advocate for the use of cannabis. In an interview with David Letterman in 2021, Durant revealed that cannabis helps him recover from the stress of being a professional athlete. He also acknowledged the potential health benefits of cannabis, stating that it can address mental health and physical pain challenges that athletes often face.
Durant has been actively involved in lobbying the NBA to lift its longtime ban on marijuana. In a recent interview, he revealed that he personally reached out to the league's commissioner, Adam Silver, to discuss removing marijuana from the list of banned substances. Durant shared his thoughts on the evolving perception of marijuana use and how the stigma associated with it has decreased. He also mentioned that the decision to advocate for this change was driven by his passion for the game and his desire to remove distractions, allowing him to focus on his true passion, playing basketball.
Durant's efforts bore fruit when the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that went into effect on July 1, 2023. This agreement removed cannabis from the list of banned substances, allowing players to consume it outside of games without penalty. The NBA had already started relaxing its stance on cannabis in 2021 by ending random drug testing for the substance.
Durant's role in this policy change is significant, and he has been praised for using his influential position to drive progressive policies and further destigmatize cannabis use. He has also expressed interest in becoming part of an NBA team ownership group and has discussed his desire to see the league return a team to Seattle, where he was drafted in 2007.
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Durant's cannabis business ventures
Kevin Durant has been open about his cannabis use, even admitting to being high during his appearance on "My Guest Needs No Introduction" with David Letterman. In 2019, Durant and his business partner Rich Kleiman's VC firm, Thirty Five Ventures, joined Canopy Rivers' strategic advisory board, marking their second cannabis-related venture. Canopy Rivers is a publicly traded investment firm that collects data on consumer behaviour and has concluded that cannabis is becoming an industry of niche segments, including sleep, recovery, sports, and wellness.
Durant and Kleiman's Thirty Five Ventures also includes the sports business media network Boardroom, and an investment portfolio with over 70 companies, including Acorns, Coinbase, Dutchie, Overtime, and Dapper Labs/NBA Top Shot. In 2021, Thirty Five Ventures announced a multi-year agreement with Weedmaps, a leading technology platform for cannabis consumers and businesses. The partnership includes a sponsorship deal with Boardroom and aims to deconstruct the negative stereotypes associated with cannabis while elevating the conversation around its potential for athlete wellness and recovery.
Durant has expressed his belief that the social stigma around cannabis is gradually disappearing and that athletes are becoming more open to trying it and disclosing their use. He has also stated that he helped lift the NBA's marijuana ban and wants to own a team in Seattle. With his ventures into the cannabis industry, Durant is advocating for legalization, normalization, and the removal of stigmas surrounding cannabis use.
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Durant's cannabis use during his appearance on 'My Guest Needs No Introduction'
Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets star, made headlines when he admitted to David Letterman that he was high during his appearance on "My Guest Needs No Introduction". Durant, who has previously shared his views about cannabis, compared smoking weed to having a "glass of wine". He said that it “clears the distractions out of your brain a little bit" and "settles you down".
Durant also talked about investing in the cannabis tech platform Weedmaps via his Thirty Five Ventures. He told Letterman that he wanted to change the narrative around athletes and marijuana use. This is not the first time Durant has been in the news for his cannabis use. In 2023, he said that he helped lift the NBA's marijuana ban and wanted to own a team in Seattle. Durant downplayed the notion that he was a pioneering lobbyist, but confirmed that he enjoys the plant.
Durant also addressed the stigmas surrounding athletes who use marijuana. He said that in the sports world, it was an "undercover thing" that players used cannabis while they were actively playing. Durant's comments come as the NBA has stopped testing players for marijuana during the season, allowing players to smoke as much as they want. Former NBA players, such as J.R. Smith, Al Harrington, and Iman Shumpert, believe that the majority of the league smokes weed.
Durant's appearance on "My Guest Needs No Introduction" adds to the growing conversation around cannabis use in the NBA and among athletes more broadly. His candid discussion of his own cannabis use and investment in the industry challenges the stigma and contributes to a more open dialogue about marijuana.
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Durant's cannabis use during his time as an NBA player
Kevin Durant, a forward for the Phoenix Suns and one of the top scorers in NBA history, has been an advocate for cannabis use among NBA players. In 2021, he became an investor in WeedMaps, an e-commerce platform that connects buyers with dispensaries. Durant has been vocal about destigmatizing marijuana use for years and has invested in several cannabis-related companies.
Durant has even admitted to using cannabis himself, notably in an interview with David Letterman on "My Guest Needs No Introduction," where he confessed to being high during his appearance. In addition, Durant has been an influential figure in lobbying the NBA to lift its ban on cannabis. In a meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Durant recalled:
> "Well, he smelled it when I walked in, so I ain't really have to say much. He kind of understood where this was going. It's the NBA, man. Everybody does it, to be honest. It's like wine at this point."
Durant's efforts, along with those of other players and advocates, have contributed to the NBA's decision to stop randomly testing players for marijuana in 2020 and the subsequent removal of cannabis from the league's list of banned substances in 2023. This policy change has been praised by many, including rapper Snoop Dogg, who highlighted the health benefits and the potential for cannabis to reduce the use of opioids and other prescription medications.
While some may question the impact of cannabis use on athletic performance, Durant and other players believe it does not affect their reflexes or reaction time. Former NBA player Steve Nash also shared how cannabis helped him with sleep issues, and he predicts it will become a part of every athlete's life as society becomes more open about its use. Durant's influence extends beyond his advocacy for cannabis use in the NBA. He has also expressed interest in owning an NBA team in Seattle and continues to be a prominent figure in the league.
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Durant's advocacy for cannabis and its benefits
Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets forward, is known for his love of basketball and is considered one of the top players in the game's history. However, Durant has also been in the news for his use of and advocacy for cannabis.
Durant has been open about his enthusiasm for cannabis and its medical benefits. In an interview with David Letterman, Durant admitted to being high during his appearance on "My Guest Needs No Introduction." He also stated that cannabis helps him recover from the stress of being a professional athlete. Durant has confirmed that he enjoys the plant and has invested in several cannabis-related companies, including the cannabis e-commerce platform WeedMaps.
Durant has been a vocal advocate for the removal of the stigma associated with cannabis use. He has lobbied the National Basketball Association (NBA) to remove cannabis from its list of banned substances. In a meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Durant argued for ending the league's penalty for using the drug, stating that it is so commonly used in the league, "it's like wine at this point." Durant's efforts were successful, and the NBA lifted its weed ban in July 2023 as part of a new collective bargaining agreement.
Durant's advocacy for cannabis extends beyond the NBA. He has expressed his desire to own a team in Seattle and has spoken about his cannabis business ventures during interviews. Durant's influence has contributed to a shift in the league's approach to cannabis use, with the NBA prioritizing random testing for performance-enhancing drugs and other harmful substances instead of cannabis.
While some may question Durant's off-court activities, including his cannabis use, his work ethic and competitive nature on the court remain undisputed. Durant's advocacy for cannabis has helped to reduce the stigma associated with its use and has contributed to a more open dialogue about the potential benefits of the plant.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Kevin Durant has been open about his enthusiasm for weed. He has also admitted to being high during his appearance on "My Guest Needs No Introduction".
Weed was prohibited in the NBA previously. However, the league stopped testing for weed starting in 2020, and the ban was officially lifted in 2023.
Durant has been an advocate for lifting the ban on weed in the NBA. He has also invested in several cannabis-related companies.
While weed may not affect reflexes or reaction time, it can slow down decision-making and memory recall.
Durant has stated that weed allows him to recover from the stress of being a professional athlete. Steve Nash, a former NBA player, has also said that smoking weed helped him overcome issues with his sleep.
