NBA player Tristan Thompson joins DeSci project AxonDAO as board member and partner

NBA player Tristan Thompson has joined AXDT Inc, the firm behind the decentralized science (DeSci) platform AxonDAO, as the firm's strategic board member and partner.

AxonDAO is a blockchain-based medical research platform that rewards users who share biometric, voice, and genomic data. The platform manufactures a wearable device called a CureRing that collects a user's health data and offers the wearer rewards with AxonDAO's native token AXGT. Users can also vote for and fund scientific proposals on the platform with AXGT.

As AxonDAO's board member and partner, Thompson will help grow the project's mission and expand community participation.

"I believe in giving people ownership over their wellness journey, and AxonDAO is building the future of health, data, and science in a way that includes everyone," Thompson said in a statement shared with The Block. "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."

AxonDAO partnered with the team building out Skale, an EVM-compatible zero-gas Layer 1 network, to eliminate transaction fees from AxonDAO's infrastructure.

DeSci is a burgeoning web3 industry mixing blockchain technology with the scientific process in an effort to make scientific work more collaborative and accessible. AxonDAO competes with other web3-powered wearable tech firms such as CUDIS.

Thompson was drafted in 2011 and played last season as a center-forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers, whom he helped win an NBA championship with in 2016.