Former Knicks star Latrell Sprewell signing bottles at Long Island liquor store Friday

Retired NBA All-Star Latrell Sprewell is coming to Long Island on Friday.

Sprewell, who played four seasons with the New York Knicks and helped lead the team to the 1999 NBA Finals, will be at The Wine Guy liquor store in Smithtown from 6 to 7 p.m., meeting fans and signing bottles of a limited-edition 1800 Tequila Blanco.

The Knicks-themed bottle is wrapped in basketball-textured orange-and-black silicone with the team's logo.

"We get a lot of specialty packages, but this one is really awesome," said Tom Gilberti, general manager at The Wine Guy.

The Knicks signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with 1800 Tequila in 2010.

Gilberti said that 1800 Tequila, based in Jalisco, Mexico, and owned by the Beckmann family, who also own Jose Cuervo tequila, reached out to the liquor store last week to ask if the business was interested in having Sprewell make an appearance.

Gilberti, "a big Knicks fan," said he jumped at the opportunity.

"This year has been amazing, and we're hoping for great things," Gilberti said. "I think it's the perfect opportunity. We're excited about the Knicks, so this was a natural fit."

The team went up 2-1 in a first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons with a victory Thursday night.

Sprewell joined the Knicks in 1998 and quickly became a popular player known for his scoring prowess, defense and energetic play after being traded from Golden State, where he infamously got into a physical altercation with then-head coach P.J. Carlesimo during practice. His contributions to the Knicks' 1999 NBA Finals squad, which lost to the San Antonio Spurs, helped make him a fan favorite in New York.

The Knicks eventually traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2003. He retired two seasons later, having earned nearly $100 million during his 13 years in the league. Sprewell currently works in community relations for the Knicks.

The Wine Guy has hosted multiple celebrity appearances in the past.

Nigel Barker, known for being a judge on "America's Next Top Model," showcased his espresso martini mix last November, while "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" stars Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton signed and sampled their Irish American whiskey last October, which drew a line of more than 700 eager customers.

Gilberti said he expects a few hundred people will line up to meet Sprewell on Friday night and that the store has plenty of the limited edition tequila in stock for $29.99.

But there's no purchase necessary to meet Sprewell.