NBA Champion Tristan Thompson Launches Community-Owned Network

NBA champion Tristan Thompson is pivoting from the basketball court to the telecommunications sector, partnering with World Mobile to launch Uplift. The new service utilizes a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) and blockchain technology to offer high-speed, low-cost data to neighborhoods across the United States.

Challenging the Telecom Status Quo

Uplift aims to disrupt the $2 trillion telecommunications industry by moving away from centralized control. Instead, the network relies on “AirNode operators”—local hosts who provide coverage to their areas. In exchange for maintaining the infrastructure, these operators earn a share of the revenue generated by the network.

According to World Mobile, the model has already proven successful in Reno, Nevada. Pilots there showed that community hosts could generate more than $10,000 annually. Thompson highlighted the project’s real-world impact, noting that the technology was deployed to restore connectivity in Asheville, North Carolina, following recent hurricane damage.

A Focus on Digital Equity

Thompson, who serves as the Chief Digital Equity Officer at World Mobile, emphasized that the initiative is personal. “For me, it’s about, how can I help people that have walked the same life that I walked,” Thompson said. “We’re doing is providing connectivity and connection for unlimited data at a way lower cost.”

The urgency of the project is tied to a significant connectivity gap in the United States, where over 50 million people live at or near the poverty line with limited access to affordable high-speed internet.

Beyond the Court

Thompson’s involvement in the tech sector extends beyond this latest venture. He holds several leadership positions, including:

• Chief Advisory Officer at AxonDAO, an AI-driven medical research platform.
• Co-founder of Basketball Fun, a web3 platform focused on tokenizing NBA players.
• Chief Content Officer at Tracy AI, which specializes in real-time sports analytics.

Uplift is scheduled to begin its rollout in Cleveland, Ohio, with plans to expand into additional cities throughout 2026.