TRANSITION GAME - CARMELO ANTHONY LIGHTS IT UP
CARMELO ANTHONY IS NO STRANGER TO REINVENTION. From a kid in Red Hook, Brooklyn, to a 19-year NBA career that made him a 10-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, he’s never been one to stand still. Now, he’s making another transition—this time, trading the hard wood for terroir, pouring his cool cat energy into fine wine, luxury cigars, and whatever else sparks his curiosity.
“Melo” has always been a natural–instinctively knowing the perfect moment to pivot, shake and shoot as well as exhibiting the ability to let the game come to him. But don’t let those innate gifts fool you. He’s always done the hard work, it only seemed like it was effortless. Melo has used those skills and others to create new lanes in his post-NBA life.
His wine label, Seventh Estate, and his Versa cigar collab with Kingmakers has energized him and Team Melo so they’re not just creating product lines but creating experiences. And the need to connect to his community? That never stopped. His podcast 7PM in Brooklyn started off as just something to do—kicking it, talking hoops, having a good time. Now, it’s a space where the game, the culture, and the stories that don’t get told finally get their shine.
This isn’t just a retirement hobby—it’s a full-court press into a new era. And as always, Carmelo Anthony is in complete control of his game.
We met recently at his podcast studio in Red Hook. Chatting with him in Brooklyn was like visiting with a friend from the old neighborhood.
“VERSA IS ME. IT’S AUTHENTIC TO WHO I AM, MY BRAND, AND EVERYTHING I HAVE GOING ON. THIS IS JUST ONE THING THAT FILLS IN THE COMMUNITY, PART OF THE STAYME7O ECOSYSTEM. WINE, CIGARS, LIFESTYLE—IT’S A REAL TRIBE WE’RE TRYING TO CREATE HERE.”
Randy Mastronicola: This a nice moment. Sharing cigars and wine with Melo.
Carmelo Anthony: Absolutely. For me as well
You’ve been a busy guy since you retired and hit 40. Talk to me about a typical day in the life of Carmelo Anthony now.
Oh, man. No two days are alike. It’s very strategic. I try to approach each day like, OK, this day is new. How can I get through it and get things accomplished?
You’ve spent a good amount of time smoking cigars and drinking wine with Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, LeBron. Is that where you developed your appreciation for wine?
No, we all had our different interests. For me, whether it was yachts, cars, watches, wine, cigars—whatever it was…books…I would always enjoy the luxuries of life.
I know you’re passionate about your burgeoning wine portfolio, Seventh Estate. You have a wonderful backstory to these wines and the labeling. Walk us through where you are with your launch.
Right now, we have about six or seven wines available—different varietals from Burgundies to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, to Napa blends and Napa Cuts. We try different grapes in different regions of France. For me, it’s about identifying these cultivators, these farmers in different regions who may not get the attention they deserve. We walk the vineyards, we talk to the winemakers, and we really just get into the community first. Then we’re able to identify what type of wine we want to create while still paying homage to where it comes from.
It really is a combination of art, science, taste and feel. How does having so much input in the process resonate with you?
Well, that’s the reason I do it—because I’m able to bring my sensibility to whatever I’m doing. You really start to understand the patience and intentionality it takes to make any wine. Because I was able to learn that from the beginning, from the ground up, it allows me to really look at this industry and the business totally differently than the average person.
Some high-profile figures aren’t as involved in their brands, but I think consumers are pretty savvy and know when there’s passion behind it.
Absolutely. As far as the way my partner and I constructed this business, it was to combat all of these stereotypes—not just putting my name on a product with somebody else to go out there and push it for me. Which is cool. There’s nothing wrong with that if that’s your strategy. For me, I’m all about really digging into what it is to build a business. Issues come up every day, so really understanding and learning the industry—from making wine to blending cigars—is key. There are a lot of similarities when it comes to blending, growth, and the harvesting process. I try to practice what I preach. That goes for the labels, the bottling, and which artists we want to use. All my labels tell a story.
Tell me about the bottle art.
The brand is Oath of Fidelity. That’s the main pillar of Seventh Estate. The connection is about being able to tell the story of Toussaint [Louverture], Haiti, and the French Revolutionary War. We have another one called Echoes of Earth, where we pay homage to Burgundy’s soil. It’s a fun process because we don’t have to try too hard. We just tap into the creative process. We look at the region, and we try to tie everything back in.
There’s an interesting connection between creativity on the court and working in unison with your teammates. Do you see any similarities between that and what you’re doing now?
You learn to understand roles—who brings what to the table and what their strong suit is. It’s not about keeping people in a lane but allowing them to blossom. We’re a tight-knit group as a company, and everyone shares information. There are no bad ideas.
We’ve sampled a bit of your wine today. It’s the real deal. Congratulations.
I appreciate that.
You also have a collab called Versa VII by Carmelo Anthony with Kingmakers Cigars, which we’re smoking now. It’s smooth with a little bit of spice, a little bit of…
Pepper but not harsh.
Yes, white pepper, easy. Now that we’re onto our second Versa VII today, I’m picking up some nuttiness in the aroma and ginger tastes.
Yes. This was carefully put together. I wanted to get it as close as possible to the palate I’m used to smoking. We went through multiple rounds of just, “Maybe we’re missing something.” Then, when you finally get it, it’s like, “Ah.” You feel the difference.
Versa is me—it’s authentic to who I am, my brand, and everything I have going on. This is just one thing that fills in the community, part of the STAYME7O ecosystem. Wine, cigars, lifestyle—it’s a real tribe we’re trying to create here.
You take aim at an elevated space. Talk a little bit more about what we should be on the lookout for beyond the cigars.
Obviously, the cigar is about the profile and taste—that’s the experience. But beyond that,
we have opportunities to create messaging, merchandise, apparel, and accessories. We can also sit down, create content, and have real conversations—whether about the cigar-making process or just life.
We’re building a brand, not just one cigar. There will be more cigars, and we’ll bring other people on board. We see this as a real business, not just another product. We’re talking about books, images, artwork, cuisine—it’s all part of the vision.
How often do you pair your cigars with wine?
Well, I just do it. It’s not like, “I’m going to pair this with that.” If I have a cigar, I might want a glass of wine—or a bottle. If it’s a scotch or whisky or hard spirit, I’ll pair with that. It really just depends on how I’m feeling at that moment. It takes you where you want to go. If you need to relax and decompress, it does that. If you need a cigar to get going, it can do that too. It all depends on what you’re looking for.
Switching gears to your podcast now. It just blew up.
Thank you. I believed in it enough to do it, but at first, it was just something to do. It’s nothing for me to talk sports and basketball, to just be in my office having a good time. I didn’t feel like I had to do it or needed to; it was just fun. But now, it’s evolving into more of a media company rather than just a podcast or talk show.
“I TRY TO CREATE EXPERIENCES—WHETHER IT’S THROUGH WINE, CIGARS, PODCASTS, OR ANYTHING ELSE—BECAUSE WE NEVER FORGET MEANINGFUL MOMENTS. AND A LOT OF TIMES, THOSE MOMENTS INCLUDE A CIGAR.”
Many athletes who come from tough backgrounds often finish their careers and immediately start thinking, “What’s next for me?” But they struggle with it.
Yes, you’ve got to plan ahead. We all go through it. As an athlete, you think your time isn’t coming, that you have plenty of time to prepare— “I’ll get to that next year.” Then next year becomes the next, and before you know it, five years have passed without you even thinking about what’s next.
It’s all about how you set yourself up. For me, it’s hard to sit still—I don’t like monotony. I have to keep going after fun things that keep me motivated. I don’t do things I don’t like to do. I think that makes my life happier. I don’t try to be something I’m not.
We sometimes pigeonhole ourselves. It’s a matter of scraping the rust off the imagination and allowing yourself to just be.
I try to create experiences—whether it’s through wine, cigars, podcasts, or anything else—because we never forget meaningful moments. And a lot of times, those moments include a cigar.
Sure. Celebratory. Hanging out with your buddies, having a meaningful conversation perhaps. Absolutely. We deal with so much negative BS on a day-to-day basis, and I don’t want to promote that. I’d rather promote celebrating people and celebratory moments.
The cigar band has some flash but it’s elegant. Some of my buddies collect cigar bands—one of them even creates art from them.
It is art. We thought, “Let’s make it a collectible—something people want, even if they don’t smoke it.” When you see that V, you know you’re part of something. Every detail of the band, from the logo to the color, was thoughtful.
Beyond appreciating cigars, we also share that we were both New York street kids before redevelopment took place across some of the five boroughs. That background can sometimes fuel aspiration and tenacity. What does it mean to you, not just to have achieved so much, but to realize there’s still more ahead?
It’s a full-circle moment because where we’re sitting right now in Red Hook is where I was born. To your point, growing up here, we couldn’t come back to this area—our parents would tell us, “Don’t go back there.”
Fast forward to where we are now, and I wanted to return to the place they said I couldn’t. But this time, I’m coming back with a different perspective. It keeps you grounded. It gives you humility. This is the clear disparity of what I had to deal with growing up, and now, I can be a representation of that back here in the place they told me I couldn’t go back to.
You have some philanthropic endeavors.
Myself, Dwyane, and Chris Paul founded the Social Change Fund, where we support the people on the ground actually doing the work. Instead of the three of us going out there and trying to tackle everything, we identify companies, brands, and movements that we can get behind. We support them by adding to their cause instead of taking anything away.
Indulge me. I’m a lifelong Knicks fan. Let’s put you at the three spot. Give me your four all-time Knicks that you would want to round out your starting five.
Damn.
[laughter]
I know. I’m not putting you on the spot at all.
You are. It would definitely be Pat. Patrick Ewing would be at my center. Power forward probably would be…I played with Amar’e [Stoudemire]. I would put Amar’e at the four. Myself at the three. I’m going to go back for my guards—probably Clyde…
Walt “Clyde” Frazier?
Yes. Either Clyde or Black Jesus, man.
Black Jesus. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.
I’d probably have to put Earl “The Pearl” at my point. My shooting guard? Man. My shooting guard will probably be Allan Houston.
I’d pay to see that center court at MSG.
I’d pay to see it too. Keep wishing, man. [laughs]
Who would you say were the two fiercest competitors that you played against?
Fiercest? Kobe [Bryant] was one of them. I would say Kobe and probably Kevin Garnett.
Did anyone ever get inside your head so much that you were like, “Man, I just can’t hit a three. I can’t hit a layup right now. I can’t get a break off this guy”?
I never really let it get to me that way. I always felt like if it was an off night, it was an off night. I played 19 years. I’ve had plenty of games that I probably can’t even remember.
[laughter]
What would you like your legacy to be? Professionally and personally?
I think my professional legacy is set. I just think it is what it is.
Well, you are a first-ballot nominee.
Yes. I think that right there—being a Hall of Famer—that stamped my whole career. My game spoke for itself. I think I spoke for myself too—in what I stood for and in being authentic. I did what I had to do, I was professional, I tried my best. I had failures, I had successes.
Nineteen years—almost two decades—playing a sport that’s only 77 years old. When I start putting it in perspective that way, to be able to play two decades out of seven, it makes me grateful. Off the court, I feel like I’m just getting started. Everything I’m doing, I feel like it’s a startup. The car isn’t even moving yet.
Every day is a startup. Thank you, Carmelo.
My pleasure.
Randy Mastronicola is the editor and publisher of Cigar & Spirits Magazine.
Article written by Audrey Pavia, she is an award-winning writer and editor living in Southern California and she has authored twenty-three nonfiction books. Audrey is a frequent contributor and consulting editor for Cigar & Spirits Magazine.