Full Breakdown
Damian Lillard’s Move Insoles: From Personal Remedy to NBA-Wide Product
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Launch and Adoption of Move Insoles
Damian Lillard, point guard of the Portland Trail Blazers, co-founded Move Insoles with athlete marketer Nate Jones. The company, begun in earnest in 2019, produces four models ranging from comfort-focused to performance-oriented designs. Lillard personally tests each model and provides candid feedback to the development team. According to Jones, roughly 25 NBA teams now use the insoles, and athletes outside basketball—including Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and five-time WNBA MVP A’Ja Wilson—have adopted them.
Background & Context – Lillard’s Foot History and Business Motivation
Lillard began using orthotics in college after a broken foot at Weber State and later dealt with plantar fasciitis early in his NBA career. Unsatisfied with existing options, he sought an insole that offered both comfort and performance. While preparing with Team USA ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he tested prototype insoles and gave direct input to Jones. The 2025-26 season injury (a torn Achilles) gave Lillard additional time to focus on Move, prompting him to consider long-term goals for his children and post-playing career.
Official Statements & Responses
Jones emphasized that Lillard’s honesty drives product refinement, noting that the guard “won’t sugarcoat it” when evaluating prototypes. Lillard has said his involvement stems from personal experience with foot issues and a desire to give athletes “different options for different people.” The company also announced an upcoming partnership with the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association, aiming to broaden reach into youth sports and reinforce foot-health awareness.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You know that’s my company, right?” — Damian Lillard
- “I’ve been watching the NBA and been an NBA junkie my entire life,” — Nate Jones
- “Needing more support in my shoe, especially having flat feet and the amount of miles on my feet, I understood the importance of not only having support in your shoe, but the right type of support and different options for different people,” — Damian Lillard
- “Me being somebody that’s going to be on the floor, somebody that’s had these [foot] issues that I mentioned, and also having real friendships with the people that I’m partnering with, they know I’m gonna tell the truth,” — Lillard. Jones
- “At this stage of my career and having that much time, I’m thinking about, ‘What do I see for my kids, and how do I want to try to help them more? What about when I’m not playing? What do I want to spend my time doing?’” — Damian Lillard
What’s Next – Expansion Plans and Market Outlook
Move plans to target the youth-sports segment, leveraging the new trainers-association partnership to educate younger athletes about foot health. Lillard hinted at possible future exposure on the TV show “Shark Tank,” though he has not committed to pitching the product there. The venture remains a central focus as he prepares to return to NBA competition.