Benzinga recently reported about numerous former football players getting involved with cannabis and CBD companies. Playboy featured testimonies from eight former NFL players who support cannabis and cannabis-derived therapeutics.

But it's not just football players getting behind the herb. Former NBA players like John Salley are also jumping aboard the green train.

Benzinga spoke with the former Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers player and asked him about his new cannabis brand Deuces22 and his participation in marijuana testing company GreenSpace Labs.

Starting Out

Not long ago, Salley's daughter Tyla suggested they start a cannabis business of their own.

“We created Deuces22, named after my NBA number," John said. "Since our debut, we’ve been rolling, brother. We do vape pens using nanotechnology. We do pre-rolls."

The thing was, the Salley duo wanted to do something special, something different. They didn't want want pre-rolls that weren't going to light properly or were full of chemicals, like so-called "dirty weed." But the four-time NBA champion didn't think people would be willing to pay the price that a product like that would cost.

“Maybe people you hang out with won’t, but people who want to smoke weed and feel healthy and feel good are going to love that we give them all flower. No sticks, no stems, no rice paper,” Tyla said.

“I was really adamant on these details,” she said. “There are a lot of cannabis brands all over the industry now, popping up and shutting down. But I wanted to make sure our brand was organic and, at the same time, luxury. I wanted people to know they can trust us, that we are not going to give them anything that can hurt them, but also that all the cannabis we provide is top shelf in every aspect, every time – and maintain this consistency over time.”

This is how Deuces22 came to be, as a premium cannabis brand aimed at people seeking to include marijuana in their healthy lifestyles. Twenty-one-year-old entrepreneur Tyla Salley serves as president and CEO of the company.

“A hundred years ago, women couldn’t even vote. Now, I’m the CEO of a cannabis company. I feel like Obama,” Tyla said, declaring her intentions to be the first CBD company to make it to CVS Health Corp (NYSE: CVS) and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ: WBA) pharmacies.

Tyla Salley. Courtesy photo.

Moving Forward

For Salley, the next step is to educate people about the importance of clean cannabis.

“People are no longer obliged to use whatever they can get,” John said. “If you have to have the cheapest option, you do. Otherwise, you should look for something better.”

He then spoke about his participation in GreenSpace Labs.

“I got involved with GreenSpace because I believe in the importance of clean cannabis, same as I believe in the importance of clean food,” he said. “I always saw on movies that every drug was tested for purity. So why not test cannabis?

“Now what’s great [to me] about GreenSpace is that their device is portable, so you can take it anywhere and test your cannabis in just 15 minutes.”

Salley’s plans in the cannabis industry don’t end with Deuces22 and GreenSpace Labs. The athlete-turned-actor is also looking to venture into the South American market, has a trip to Jamaica in May to discuss a potential partnership, and is even exploring the possibility of a cannabis-themed travel show for TV.

“I am not going to let this opportunity pass me by,” he said.

Follow Javier Hasse on Twitter for updates on Salley’s latest business ventures.