NBA’s Chris Webber Gunning to Help Minorities Succeed in the Weed Biz

Ex-NBA star Chris Webber believes there’s A LOT of money to be made in the weed business … and he wants to make sure minorities get a fair shot to get that green.

Webber has teamed up with JW Asset Management to launch a $100 million private equity fund specifically to help minority entrepreneurs succeed in the marijuana industry, which has exploded all over the country.

The issue … Webber says there are several barriers in place which seem to prevent minorities from getting a piece of the action — and he’s looking to even the playing field.

Webber told the guys on “TMZ Live” … some states require a $60,000 deposit to apply for a license to open a dispensary which is an extraordinarily high price.

“People need help,” Webber says … “So we’re gonna come in these places and we’re gonna train, we’re gonna make sure we provide jobs, and we’re gonna make sure you have a hub to understand how you can enter the cannabis industry not just as a cultivator or grower, or some star, but also how to make a great living by providing certain services that the industry allow.”

Webber broke it down this way in a statement — “It’s crucial that we diversify the leadership in the cannabis industry and level the playing field for people from our communities.”