Shawn's Hemp: Former NBA All-Star Kemp enters pot business

line stretched down block, around corner and snaked into alley on back side of street. Most people were wearing green and gold. All of m were re for a glimpse, maybe an autograph and maybe some product to take home.

Even 23 years after he last played for Seattle SuperSonics, Shawn Kemp can still man to draw a crowd, even at lunchtime on a Friday in midst of a pandemic.

This time it was for his latest business venture, partnering with and lending his name to first of what he hopes is a franchised line of cannabis dispensaries. Along with his name on front of building and a large mural on side, dispensary called Shawn Kemp's Cannabis comes with additional velty of being just a couple blocks away from building where Kemp became an All-Star with SuperSonics in 1990s and where he hopes to see NBA return one day.

Kemp said he never imagined when he was leading Sonics, one of best teams in NBA in mid-1990s, that a player would ever have his name across front of a marijuana shop.

“If you had asked me to do this when I was playing, probably t. But I think things change as we go and business as we kw will also change. And that’s what I did throughout years,” Kemp said. “I don’t kw if re’s a cool way to promote and to do cannabis, but I think here we’re going to be able to do that in a positive and professional manner.”

Kemp is a partner in project with Main Street Cannabis, which operates three or dispensaries in Washington state. company initially claimed it would be first Black-owned dispensary in Seattle, but later backed off those claims.

Still, Kemp hopes it can be a business example for Black community. first store had 35 employees on first day, with plans to reach 40.

“Marijuana has been part of Black community forever. This is putting a positive spin on it,” Kemp said.

Kemp was joined in opening store by former Seattle teammate Gary Payton, whose cannabis cookies with his name on front were available for sale inside. Payton wore a SuperSonics face covering with “Glove” embroidered on front.

Kemp was arrested twice in early 2000s on drug charges, including marijuana possession. He said change in how marijuana is viewed by NBA w is part of an evolution on overall view of cannabis.

“I think we’re finding out cannabis to be valuable to us in a lot of different ways, wher it be through medicine or to athletic skills,” Kemp said. “And I think that’s why you see NBA bending ir rules and I think you’ll see several or leagues probably do same.”

Im credits: AP