Spencer Jones has conversation starters on his feet when he steps on the court. The “Andiem Pivot 1.0” sneakers he’s sported this season might not be the flashiest, and they’re definitely not the most popular option in the NBA. “A few guys at the free-throw line were like ‘What are those?’ They hadn’t seen them before,” Jones, a 24-year-old Nuggets forward, told The Denver Gazette last week. “I’ve had to explain it several times.” What the Brooklyn-based company lacks in brand recognition is made up for in functionality and ambition to make ankle injuries a thing of the past. Andiem founders Ezra Smyser and Alex Morel launched the “Pivot 1.0” a couple of years ago, and Jones is the first player to wear them in NBA games. The brand’s name combines “and” for continuation and “diem,” the Latin for day, to come up with the company’s “more days” mantra. “We met through basketball and really bonded over our shared ankle injury history and frequent reinjuries, including many monthlong recoveries, and even surgery,” the founders said in an email to The Denver Gazette. “We were fanatical about staying on the court and became obsessed with solving the problem. It was a decade-long journey of experiencing injuries and observing how so many other players — at all levels of the game, even the NBA — were dealing with the same thing.” The duo met with orthopedic surgeons, intellectual-property lawyers and experienced executives in the shoe industry before designing their debut shoe. They met Jones in Las Vegas at Summer League last year. “I was already in need of a new shoe,” Jones said. “The way I play, my feet and everything like that, I was blowing through shoes all summer.” Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) moves the ball past Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) during the first half of an NBA game Dec. 27, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) *** Jones had a meeting scheduled with Paul Roberson, who founded a resistance-band company called FLO Unleashed, at Summer League. Roberson invited Smyser and Morel to join. The duo remembers the meeting taking place in a tearoom on the top floor of a Las Vegas hotel. “By the end, Spencer was wear-testing the Pivot — Euro-stepping, jabbing, pro-hopping between triple-decker pastry plates, tea pots and quizzically staring patrons,” the founders said. “From there he decided to trial the shoes over the offseason, periodically touching base to share what he liked and that he was planning to use them in preseason. Before we knew it, it’s opening night, and Spencer is rocking Andiem vs. the Warriors. By then, we knew he wanted to be involved more seriously, and we just had to find time to make it happen.” Not only is Jones wearing the shoes on a nightly basis. He’s also listed as an investor and adviser in the company. Andiem could do a lot worse as far as brand ambassadors go. Jones holds a management science and engineering degree from Stanford. He’s one of few, if any, NBA players with an active presence on LinkedIn, which uses to build his investing and venture-capital networks. “Spence is a unique guy, man. He’s smart; he knows it,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after Saturday’s practice at Ball Arena. “He’s a worldly guy. He knows what’s going on. If I mention current affairs or what’s going on in the news, he’s one of the few guys that shakes his head like he knows what’s going on. Spence knows what’s going on. He’s a smart guy, and he’s had a really good season.” The 24-year-old has equity in the company and frequently hears from the founders whether it’s a congratulatory message after a good game or questions about the shoes’ performance at the highest level. “We’re in talks about possibly making a custom for me down the line,” Jones said. “It’s really cool to be a part of something like that.” Spencer Jones’ shoes (The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett) Jan. 20, 2026. *** Nike was Jones’ brand of choice, and convenience, prior to this season. Between last season, which Jones almost exclusively spent in the G League, and his five-year college career with the Cardinal, Jones took the court in different pairs featuring the swoosh. “It was just the ones I got for free,” Jones explained. Jones didn’t have an extensive history of ankle injuries. He estimated he rolled or sprained an ankle once or twice a year like most people playing that much basketball. The larger issue was the sides of the shoes weren’t up to the wear and tear his game demanded. “The biggest thing was that it’s very sturdy and can handle my style of play,” Jones said. “Any other shoe I was wearing was usually blowing out around a month, month and a half, maybe even less. The fact that they lasted all three months — no issues with anything — that was kind of like my testing period. … I’ve worn it for almost nine months now, and it’s way better than any other shoe I’ve used.” Andiem’s shoe features a wider base that’s beneficial for Jones, who said he has flat feet. That puts a lot of stress on the side of the shoe. There’s also a built-in strap around the front of the top of the shoe that provides additional reinforcement. The patent-protected technology also includes what the brand calls “escape” insoles that feature extra padding in the heel for added protection, more bounce in the forefoot and a full layer of memory foam that molds to the wearer’s feet over time. “We take a completely different approach to support. This is not a brace inside a shoe. The shoes are built on the principles of balance and connection. it’s not just about preventing injuries. We want to help athletes move better,” the founders said. “Braces and tape try to immobilize your foot, so if you start to turn, you’ll have some extra material to counter that force. Our tech is designed to prevent the roll from passing into the inversion danger zone by giving you extra balance, proprioception, and making you one with the shoe as much as possible.” Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) fouls Los Angeles Lakers forward Luka Dončić (77) during the first half of an NBA game Jan. 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) *** The shoes have received some solid product placement this season. Despite playing on a two-way contract, Jones has been active for 43 of Denver’s first 44 games, and he’s started 28. That was the case again Tuesday against the Lakers. Jones switched onto Luka Doncic on Denver’s first defensive possession. He sunk a corner 3 over LeBron James on the Nuggets’ first offensive possession, and he went on to hit his first four 3-pointers in his little-known kicks. “He brings the energy every night. He plays hard. He can make shots. He reads spacing. He doesn’t ever call for the ball. He’s just one of those guys that can do it all on the court,” Nuggets guard and New Balance athlete Jamal Murray said after Tuesday’s loss. “He was everywhere. He’s somebody that we’re relying on right now. Even him being that size and in the corners a lot, he’s still rebounding and giving us extra possessions, which are keeping us in the game. We’re going to need more of that.” The shoes were put to the test in Boston on Jan. 7. Not only was Jones frequently matched up with Celtics star Jaylen Brown, but a couple of minutes into the game, Jones sprinted back on defense and deflected a pass to prevent an easy Celtics bucket. The sequence ended with Jones crashing into a couple of camera operators and seats in the first row. Jones stayed in the game for 7 more minutes but missed the rest of the game with soreness in his left foot. He missed Denver’s next game against Atlanta but was back for the Jan. 11 game against Milwaukee. “I only missed one game because of it because of the structure I had in the shoe. It gave me full confidence to go out there despite not really being 100% in a couple of those games following it,” Jones said. “It was a freak accident. If I was in any other shoe, I probably would’ve taken at least another game off.” Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones, left, and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg pursue a loose ball in the second half of an NBA game in Denver. (The Associated Press) *** That’s the kind of substance that supersedes style or hype. Jones has fielded questions about his new shoes from curious teammates and coaches of choice. Some opponents have been more critical than inquisitive. “The only skepticism is no one has seen it, so a couple of people were clowning me when I first started wearing them,” Jones said. “I didn’t care. … It was much more structural and everything like that, even though I like how they look.” ...read more read less