Josh Hart Buys Stake in Italian Club Napoli

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart has bought a stake in Italian club Napoli Basketball. Hart, together with his business partner and the host of the "Roommates" podcast, Matt Hillman, will sit on the club's board of directors and support its commercial, sporting and social growth.

The club is managed by Underdog Global Partners, led by Matt Rizzetta, president of Napoli Basketball and founder of Underdog Global Partners. After its return to Europe and the founding of its women's team, the club received conditional approval to become a EuroLeague expansion franchise. Napoli is expected to join the EuroLeague next year on a three-year license. A project for a new stadium has also been submitted with the support of the Napoli Municipality.

Speaking to Sportico, Hart said he had long wanted to be a co-owner of a team. Noting that he had brought his brand to where he wanted it in his 10th NBA season, Hart said the next step was sports ownership. He drew a comparison between Napoli and the Knicks, describing the club as a project built on hard work and big dreams.

The club has an ownership group that includes Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal. Napoli has 6 wins and 1 loss in Italy's Serie A, and 7 wins in EuroCup Group C. The official announcement came after weeks of rumors.