In the modern landscape of sports, it’s hard to imagine athletes having demanding hobbies outside of their job. They are constantly training and practicing, and modern technology has given them the opportunity to fine tune their skills in every other capacity. Fortunately for Precious Achiuwa, he finds time to focus on the thing that he perhaps loves the most: collecting wine.
Just a few weeks ago, Precious was traded in a deal that sent himself, OG Anunoby and Malachi Flynn to the New York Knicks. Although he is returning to the city where he grew up, playing in Toronto was an experience that will always resonate with him.
“I think my favourite thing about Toronto was the diversity. It was a very diverse city where you see people from different walks of life. Meeting new people, learning about their cultures and their backgrounds, I thought it was very beautiful. That’s something that I thought was unique about the city of Toronto.”
While being in the bigger city and playing for the more worldwide franchise has its upsides, many players often feel the pressure of competing under the lights of Madison Square Garden. However, Precious doesn’t fall into this category. He takes a different approach compared to others.
“I don’t see it as pressure or anything of that sort. For me, it’s just mostly just going out there, having fun, playing the right way, and we’ve been winning. So that’s a lot more fun when you play and you win a lot of games. So yeah, definitely for me, that’s the most important thing.”
Outside of basketball, Precious has amassed an impressive collection of wines from across all regions of the world. His love for wine began with his father bringing home various bottles, and then continued through his brother when they would taste them together.
“I think that the most beautiful part about wine is just the history and the knowledge behind it, not just the drinking of it. That’s where my passion comes from.”
Since then, his love for the grape has grown tenfold, and in November of 2023 he became an ambassador for InVintory, a company that helps wine collectors value their bottles, search for new wines, and read reviews from other vino enthusiasts. Naturally, this was a perfect fit for Precious.
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“Man, it’s kind of like a match made in heaven, where you’re starting to get into wine and you are enjoying the whole process of it. And then InVintory comes around and it’s just a beautiful connection where everything is just so tied together,” says Precious. “it’s a perfect fit. I just help my knowledge of and passion for wine grow to a much deeper level.”
2024 is off to a hot start for Precious Achiuwa, and it appears it will be a year of both competition and culture. In the winter, he’ll play for one of the largest franchises in North American Sports. Whereas in the summer, he’ll travel to Europe and taste the world’s finest wines—which in our humble opinion, sounds like much more fun.
