From NBA Culture to Wine Ambassadorship: Exploring Wine and Life Through Basketball with Hall of Famer Marc Spears

Jul 14, 2025

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Welcome back to Beats, Vines & Life! In this episode, host MJ Towler sits down with the legendary Marc J. Spears—Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, senior writer at ESPN’s Andscape, and a bona fide wine enthusiast. Hailing from the Bay Area with deep roots in both sports and wine culture, Marc shares stories from his 26-year career covering the NBA, his journey into wine ambassadorship for Jackson Family Wines, and his experiences bridging the worlds of basketball, culture, and the vine.

Get ready for a heartfelt and lively conversation about the influence of family, the changing landscape of wine in Black communities, memories from the NBA Finals, and Marc’s role in the acclaimed Hulu series “The Conversations Project.” We’ll uncork laughs, wisdom, and some killer wine recommendations as MJ and Marc talk about everything from growing up around California wine country to the competitive world of wine-loving NBA players. Whether you’re a hoops head, a wine lover, or just in the mood for authentic storytelling, this episode’s got something for you. Cheers!

For more information about Marc’s journalism, click the link!!

Follow Marc on IG!

For more information about Jackson Family Wines click the link!

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

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