Andiem Is Building Basketball Shoes for Availability, Not Hype

What’s Happening

Andiem is rethinking basketball footwear from the ground up—designing shoes to prevent injuries before they happen, not manage them after the fact. The performance footwear startup recently added NBA's Spencer Keith Jones (Denver Nuggets) as an advisor, investor, and ambassador, reinforcing its athlete-first, availability-driven philosophy.

Jones’ partnership isn’t about branding—it’s about alignment. As he puts it: “Your health. Your readiness. Your availability.”

‍

Inside Andiem’s Approach

Most basketball shoes optimize for bounce, looks, or short-term explosiveness. Andiem is focused on staying on the court.

Key innovations include:

• Flex Lock System: Dual straps, dual heel counters, and a deep heel cup reduce foot slip and lag—improving reaction time during rapid cuts and changes of direction.
• ReAxon Stability Platform: Enhances proprioception and balance to help prevent ankle rolls before they start—rather than immobilizing the joint after injury.
• Escape Insoles (standard): Fast-twitch PU foam in the forefoot, Poron crash pad in the heel, EVA + memory foam layering, and a dynamic flex shank for all-game comfort and next-day recovery.

Instead of restricting motion with braces or tape, Andiem increases connection, balance, and alignment, keeping movement free—but controlled.

‍

Why It Matters

Basketball injuries aren’t just a performance problem—they’re an availability problem. Andiem’s bet is that the next edge in basketball isn’t vertical leap, it’s durability.

Jones’ story underscores the thesis: staying healthy turned minutes into starts—and opportunity into momentum. That’s the athlete Andiem is building for.

‍

The Playbook Take

Andiem isn’t chasing sneaker culture. It’s building infrastructure for longevity on the court. As athletes increasingly think like operators—protecting availability, careers, and equity—expect more performance brands to follow this model: less hype, more health, longer careers.