Benzinga | Jul 29, 2021 01:27PM EDT

NBA Legend Allen Iverson Joins Al Harrington's Viola Cannabis Co. To 'Keep Pushing Boundaries'

Viola, the cannabis company founded and led by NBA veteran Al Harrington has welcomed another NBA star, Allen Iverson, to its ranks.

The Philadelphia 76ers legend and Hall of Famer agreed to serve as the official talent partner for the Los Angeles cannabis brand.

As Viola's new partner, Iverson will build on many of Harrington's business initiatives, leading the introduction of the first strain of Viola's The Iverson Collection, which is expected to hit the shelves at Elevate and Jade Room in California this October.

The collaboration with Iverson and Viola is expected to result in a variety of cannabis and non-cannabis products.

"I've had a lot of people approach me with business opportunities, but this one with Al was different," said Iverson, who visited Viola's 18,000 sq ft Detroit grow in March.

"After seeing how devoted he is to this business, and him educating me on how beneficial the plant is, it just felt right. I'm excited to be a part of it," Iverson added.

Harrington said he is honored to have Iverson on board.

"In the same way Allen impacted the culture, we're going to continue to impact the cannabis industry," Harrington said. "We're going to keep pushing boundaries."

The two basketball greats are also partnering on Harrington's wellness CBD brand rePlay, the company revealed.

In March, Viola partnered with Canadian cannabinoid-focused biopharmaceutical company Avicanna (OTC:AVCNF) to become the first Black-owned multinational cannabis brand. Under the deal, Acivanna opted to license the brand and utilize it to create specific formulations for sale across medical and consumer retail channels in Canada.

Photo: Courtesy of Viola