Former Cleveland Cavaliers star launches Basketball.fun to empower fans through data and blockchain
Tristan Thompson, NBA champion and Canadian basketball icon, is taking his competitive spirit off the court and into the blockchain industry. With his playing career winding down, the 34-year-old has launched Basketball.fun, a platform designed to give fans real influence over the game they love.
From Court Battles to Building Platforms
Reflecting on his transition, Thompson says the mindset hasn’t changed. “I don’t think much changes. It’s still the same journey and grind. The players on the court are different, but now it’s about testing the mind, opening up my brain, and unlocking a pathway I’ve never had to before. It’s almost like feeling like a rookie again.”
That drive, he explains, comes from his years alongside elite athletes. Recalling his time with LeBron James, Thompson noted how arriving early to training camp set the tone for Cleveland’s championship run. “Seeing that as younger players, it motivated us. It was clear LeBron was on a mission, and we felt it was on us to help him achieve it.”
Why Blockchain?
Instead of real estate or media ventures, Thompson chose blockchain as his next frontier. “This is digital finance, digital assets. It’s no different than forty years ago when athletes went into banking and investing. For me, this is the next Wall Street.”
His platform aims to use blockchain for transparency, fan participation, and financial literacy—areas he feels are underserved in sports.
Basketball.fun: A New Model for Fan Power
At its core, Basketball.fun lets fans use predictions, sentiment, and data to shape conversations around player performance and team value. Cofounder Herman Narula explained, “By letting fans put real data and predictions behind their opinions, we can turn that influence into something measurable that leagues and teams can’t ignore.”
Unlike earlier fan token or collectible projects, the platform is built as a live prediction and data market, secured on the Somnia blockchain. Fans can actively back their opinions while avoiding the high fees and limited transparency common in existing fantasy and tokenized systems.
For Thompson, the mission is about legacy and impact. “I think everything in life is the same DNA, the same recipe. It is being a workhorse, putting in the time, no shortcuts.”
He hopes the project will prove that athletes can innovate beyond the game. “We want to be disruptors. We can change how fans connect with sports forever.”
Looking ahead, Thompson says his motivation is clear: “Five years from now, I want people to say when I first saw him at a crypto conference, I doubted him. And now he has built something real.”
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.