Overview: Damian Lillard has officially joined Wildwood Spirits as an equity partner and brand ambassador in November 2026. The partnership unites the Portland Trail Blazers All-Star with a Washington state-based craft distillery known for its chef- and sommelier-owned operations.
The Full Story
Lillard, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association, has joined the company as an equity partner and brand ambassador. Lillard’s representatives have a longstanding relationship with Wildwood Spirits’ co-founder John Howie, who has previously partnered with NBA legend Gary Payton on a sports bar and restaurant in Seattle. Wildwood Spirits said that the established relationship created a natural connection and ultimately led to Lillard’s involvement with the company.
Speaking to The Spirits Business, Lillard said the partnership has been in the works for about a year and that the backgrounds of Wildwood’s co-owners – Erik Liedholm is an advanced sommelier, while Howie is a chef and restaurateur – drew him in. “You know that things are going to be done properly and that was a big reason why I felt comfortable stepping in,” Lillard said, noting he co-owns a sports lounge and speakeasy called Honorable Mention in downtown Portland. Wildwood Spirits bills itself as the only ‘chef- and sommelier-owned distillery in the country’ with Liedholm and Howie building it on the notion that ‘spirits deserve the same care and attention as amazing cuisine and fine wine’.
Production & Profile
Wildwood Spirits produces small-batch spirits including gin, whiskey, and vodka. Flagship spirits include Kur Gin, Rendition Rye Whiskey, and The Dark Door Bourbon. Other brands in the lineup include Professor Washington Whiskey, Solgud Orange Liqueur, and Stark Vatten Vodka. Kur Gin leads in distribution and sales, followed by Rendition Rye. The company has indicated that The Dark Door will become a greater focus as it reaches five years of aging and will subsequently build up its inventory.
Lillard added: “With everything that I do in my career, I’m always looking for people and things that align with the way that I operate: good people, things with a strong background, well-put together, and obviously, this [spirits] is a lane that’s been around a long time and will continue to be around.” If he does have an off-season tipple, Lillard characterises himself as a wine person and enjoys Port, with whiskey and Bourbon as his choice of spirits.
Brand & Industry History
Based in the Pacific Northwest, Wildwood Spirits has two distilleries in Washington state; one in Bothell and a second site in Seattle’s Ballard neighbourhood, both of which house tasting rooms. The company has an honorable mention lounge in Portland, Oregon. Lillard noted the initial introduction was just about getting to know each other: “It wasn’t about them trying to sell me on the product. I knew that I would try them and I would give an honest opinion on what I thought.”
What This Means
In terms of growing the brands, Wildwood has confirmed the focus is to “expand aggressively in the states where we have distribution”, listing Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. “We will continue our West Coast focus in 2027 plus we’ve identified key account interest on the East Coast and in the Northeast and Midwest, where we will build distribution concurrently,” the company said. Lillard notes the strategy as “brick by brick”. “I always think that’s the best way, and in my experience, with everything that I’ve done outside of basketball, it’s always been a gradual ascension,” he said.
Consumer Takeaway
The partnership offers access to small-batch spirits produced with elite ingredients at distilleries in Bothell and Seattle’s Ballard neighbourhood. Lillard has sampled the products, noting that Kur Gin surprised him given his history with the category. He stated: “The product has to be quality, the people that I’m partnering with have to be quality, and we just have to be aligned on how we see things.”
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