Tristan Thompson, the NBA veteran, entrepreneur, and wellness advocate, is stepping into the world of decentralized science. AxonDAO, a decentralized platform merging AI and blockchain to power next-generation medical research, has tapped Thompson as a board member and strategic advisor to its operating company, AXDT Inc.
The move underscores a growing convergence between sports, health tech, and decentralized data ownership — a shift that places athletes at the center of scientific innovation while challenging traditional models of biomedical research.
AxonDAO is building an open-source health and scientific discovery engine — built on blockchain infrastructure, privacy-preserving zero-knowledge proofs, and GPU-powered AI compute.
The platform incentivizes users to contribute biometric, voice, and genomic data through its CureRing wearable and native token, $AXGT, while rewarding ethical research contributions. The project is rooted in the decentralized science (DeSci) movement, which aims to democratize scientific discovery and shift control away from centralized institutions.
Tristan Thompson is a Canadian‑born NBA center and power forward, currently playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. A standout at Texas, he entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Thompson helped lead Cleveland to its long-awaited championship in 2016, ending the franchise’s 52‑year title drought. Beyond the court, Thompson is known for his dedication to fitness and wellness, often sharing workout transformations and holistic health routines.
Thompson’s entry into AxonDAO is more than a celebrity endorsement. As a board member, he will shape its go-to-market strategy, focusing on athlete health optimization — including sleep, recovery, cannabis, psychedelics, and music-based therapy — and help drive outreach campaigns aimed at raising awareness around personal data sovereignty.
“I believe in giving people ownership over their wellness journey,” Thompson said in a statement shared with AlexaBlockchain.
“AxonDAO is building the future of health, data, and science in a way that includes everyone,” Thompson noted.
“Athletes understand the importance of recovery, focus, and self-awareness. What we’re building with AxonDAO doesn’t just benefit professionals – it helps people live better, longer, and stronger lives,” he added.
Thompson’s involvement also marks a broader trend of athletes moving into the blockchain and wellness sectors. From Tom Brady’s early crypto investments to Kevin Durant’s backing of health tech startups, the sports world is increasingly embracing technology that supports both longevity and ownership.
AxonDAO is targeting not just research reform, but the infrastructure powering it. The team is developing decentralized GPU compute layers to support AI-powered diagnostics and data analysis — an alternative to centralized models like Google’s DeepMind or OpenAI. It aims to decentralize the pipeline from data collection to intellectual property generation, a shift that could upend how biomedical discoveries are made and monetized.
AxonDAO governance token AXGT was trading at $0.09141, down 56% in 1 year, at the time of writing this news, as per CoinMarketCap data.
Read Also: Sandeep Nailwal Becomes Polygon Foundation First CEO to Accelerate Agglayer, PoS 100K TPS Vision
Disclaimer: The information provided on AlexaBlockchain is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Read complete disclaimer here.
Image Credits: NBA, Canva