Speaker

A proud native of Brooklyn, New York, John found a love for basketball at an early age. He accepted a Basketball Scholarship to Georgia Tech to play for legendary head coach Bobby Cremins. From there Salley went on to become a 15-year NBA veteran and was the first NBA player to win four championships with three different teams. After his retirement from the NBA in 2000, Salley explored several opportunities in both television and film. John has served as host for numerous award shows and recently hosted the Reunion Shows of VH-1’s #1 rated show, Basketball Wives. John is also the head of his own production company. John is actively involved with Operation Smile, PETA and the fight against Diabetes. In addition, John is involved with PCRM and visited Washington in Nov ’09 and May ’10, speaking to Congress about the Child Nutrition Act, asking Members to support legislation that would increase vegetarian options in meals served in public schools. John has adopted a plant based (raw vegan) lifestyle, and is a frequent speaker at VegFest’s across the USA. As a Wellness Advocate, one of John’s main missions in life is to continue to educate people on the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle thru better eating habits. With a passion for real food, wine and spirits, John has contributed articles to Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado and LA Confidential. Most can achieve a goal and be pleasantly satisfied with their results but to continually create new tasks to accomplish and to reinvent yourself is the mark of a versatile and motivated individual. It is the definition of father, athlete, actor, entrepreneur, talk show host, philanthropist, wellness advocate, vegan and champion: John Salley.