Basketball.fun, an NBA-focused crypto platform, is processing refunds for digital pack buyers unwilling to wait for its marketplace launch next month. The project confirmed that NBA veteran Tristan Thompson, an early advisor, has stepped back from active involvement. So far, refund requests total under $2,000 worth of pack sales for athlete “shares.” The platform is also offering a 10% boost on purchases for users who wait until trading debuts in April.
The NBA-focused crypto project Basketball.fun is providing refunds to users who purchased digital packs but do not wish to wait for its marketplace to go live. The platform’s co-founder stated this move manages expectations after former Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson ended his advisory role. Thompson stated, *”I’m proud to have helped support the vision in its early days. As the platform continues to develop, the team at Improbable is taking the lead on the project and I’ve stepped back from any active involvement.”*
Developed with Improbable, the team behind layer-1 network Somnia, the project lets users speculate on NBA player performance. It operates without an official league license, offering “shares” in athletes meant to fluctuate game-to-game. Users cannot yet trade these assets, but the platform is building toward a marketplace and its own prediction market.
A pseudonymous X account recently accused the project of being a potential “rug pull” due to a lack of updates. The company claimed this criticism was being amplified by an indirect competitor. Project leadership strongly denied any intention of scamming users.
Basketball.fun has received 24 refund requests totaling less than $2,000 worth of pack sales. The company is offering a “10% boost” to users who retain their packs until the planned trading debut at the start of the NBA playoffs. The project also plans to let people purchase packs on Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, later this month.
Teherany suggested Thompson’s departure was related to the athlete exploring other opportunities. Research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School found professional athletes are among the least-trusted sources for crypto investment guidance. Thompson, an unsigned free agent, had previously criticized celebrities for extracting value from the crypto space.
