In February 2024, Napoli Basketball pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Italian basketball. Entering the Italian Cup as the No. 7 seed, the team stunned Olimpia Milano 77-72 in the final to lift its second title, 18 years after its first. For a club that had spent years fighting its way back into the top division, the victory meant much more than another trophy.

Just a decade earlier, Napoli was playing in Serie B, the third tier of Italian basketball. The club had suffered financial troubles, been excluded from Serie A in 2008 and formally dissolved in 2010 before rebuilding its way back to the top in 2021. Now, the Italian underdog has attracted an NBA champion who sees something familiar in its journey.

New York Knicks star Josh Hart has officially acquired a minority stake in Napoli Basketball, joining its ownership group alongside business partner Matt Hillman. The investment marks Hart’s first move into sports ownership and his largest private investment to date. Speaking to Sportico, the 31-year-old explained why he believes this is the right time to take that step.

“I’ve always wanted to be a part owner of a franchise. And now, my 10th year in the NBA, I feel like I’ve grown my brand to where I wanted to be, and now it’s about taking the next step.”

“For me, that next step is obviously in sports ownership.”

Hart’s decision comes after several years of building his business portfolio through investments in companies across the consumer, technology and entertainment industries. His previous investments include beverage maker Lemon Perfect, esports organisation FaZe Clan, collectibles insurance platform Wax and blockchain gaming company Dapper Labs. He has since exited FaZe Clan and Mela, a watermelon juice business, among other ventures.

However, Napoli represents something different. Rather than simply investing in another company, Hart is entering the ownership structure of a professional basketball club while continuing his NBA career. He will also serve on its Board of Directors, helping guide its commercial growth, sporting ambitions and community impact.

The connection between Hart and Napoli also goes beyond business. He has visited Naples and the Amalfi Coast several times, including during his honeymoon around five years ago. His affection for the region played a part in making the opportunity attractive when it eventually came his way.

“I have visited Naples and the Amalfi Coast several times. They are fantastic places. You learn something more about the culture, about the people who live there.”

Hart also sees similarities between Napoli’s journey and what he has experienced with New York. The Knicks won the 2026 NBA championship after years of trying to return to the top, making his comparison with another underdog organisation particularly meaningful.

“Napoli is a great story of redemption and it reminds me, in many ways, of what we built with the Knicks. It is a project built on hard work, big dreams and the incredible passion Napoli fans have for their team. The Napoli project is only in the ‘first quarter.'”

That last comparison also explains why Napoli’s ownership group believes Hart can be more than a familiar NBA face attached to the club. His involvement comes at a time when the organisation is attempting to build something much bigger than its current position in Italian basketball.

Matt Rizzetta, founder of Underdog Global Partners and Napoli’s president, has been central to that vision. His group acquired the basketball club in 2025 and has since been working towards expanding its sporting and commercial presence. Hart first met Rizzetta at the beginning of summer 2026, while Hillman brought the investment opportunity to the Knicks guard towards the end of the summer.

Rizzetta believes Hart’s personality and background make him a natural fit for the project.

“Josh is an underdog guy. He’s a champion who is a rags to riches story. And the New York to Naples connection is really important to us.”

There is also a significant financial commitment behind the project. The terms of Hart’s minority stake have not been disclosed, and neither the percentage he owns nor his individual contribution has been made public. Rizzetta, however, described it as the largest private investment Hart has made so far and his first move into sports ownership.

Importantly, Hart and Hillman are investing in both Napoli’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the club’s proposed new arena. This makes their involvement broader than a stake in the men’s team alone. Rizzetta also believes Hart is approaching the opportunity with a long-term mindset rather than looking for a quick financial return.

“He looks at this like a legacy project. You meet investors who want that two-, three-year return. Josh is looking to build this out.”

Hillman is an important part of that partnership. He is Hart’s business partner, co-hosts The Roommates Show alongside Hart and Knicks teammate Jalen Brunson, and serves as CEO of PATH Talent. He also founded Cut + Sew, a marketing agency that was later acquired by GameSquare Esports, and has experience across gaming, entertainment and consumer investments.

In fact, Hillman was the person who first brought the Napoli opportunity to Hart. Their partnership goes back several years, beginning with the LightHarted Podcast before continuing through their work on The Roommates Show and other business ventures. His marketing and business background complements Hart’s experience as a professional basketball player, giving Napoli two new board members with different areas of expertise.

And the timing of their arrival is particularly interesting. Napoli is not simply relying on its ownership group’s ambitions to attract attention. Its performances this season have already given the club something to build on.

The men’s team has made an impressive start to its EuroCup campaign, winning its first seven games and moving to the top of Group C. Its latest result was a commanding 112-90 road victory over NINERS Chemnitz on November 11. Napoli became the first team to win at Messe Chemnitz this season, while extending its unbeaten run to seven games.

The club has also made its presence felt in Italy’s top division. After six Serie A games, Napoli holds a 5-1 record and is tied for first place with Bologna and Treviso. For a team that returned to the top division only in 2021, competing at the top of both domestic and European competitions represents a significant step forward.

But Napoli’s ambitions extend well beyond its current winning run. The club is now pursuing a place in the EuroLeague, Europe’s premier club basketball competition. Its return to European competition this season is already a major milestone, having gone 20 years without participating in a European tournament before this EuroCup campaign.

The opportunity has become more realistic as EuroLeague prepares to expand from 20 to 24 teams for the 2027-28 season. Napoli has reportedly received conditional approval and is being considered for a three-year wild card alongside Virtus Bologna. However, the final decision has not been officially announced, with the EuroLeague board expected to address the expansion plans before the end of November.

Rizzetta has also revealed the financial scale of Napoli’s ambitions. The club has reportedly submitted an €80 million proposal for EuroLeague entry as part of a wider €400 million investment project. That figure is separate from Hart’s personal investment and reflects the ownership group’s broader plans for the organisation.

The biggest part of that vision is a proposed new arena in the Fuorigrotta area of Naples. The project is estimated to cost around €300 million, with a planned capacity of 12,000 for basketball and up to 15,000 for other events. The ownership group is targeting construction to begin in 2027, with completion expected around 2030, subject to the required permits and approvals.

The venue is being designed to meet the standards of both the EuroLeague and the proposed NBA Europe competition. While Napoli’s discussions with EuroLeague are reportedly more advanced, Rizzetta has also explored the possibility of becoming involved in the NBA’s European plans. The two competitions remain separate, and there is no confirmed place for Napoli in NBA Europe.

For Hart, that means his first sports ownership investment is arriving at a particularly important point in the club’s development. He is joining an organisation that has already climbed back from the third tier, won a major domestic trophy and started its latest European campaign without a defeat. Now, its ownership group is trying to turn that progress into something lasting.

Rizzetta believes Hart’s involvement reflects the values the club wants to represent, while the Knicks star has made it clear that he sees the opportunity as a long-term commitment.

“Josh Hart represents Naples and the tens of millions of proud Neapolitans around the world. His dedication, humility and tenacity are the values on which the Napoli project is built. He has the heart of a champion.”

Hart has also spoken about the future he hopes to help create in the Italian city, describing the project as one that is still in its early stages. With the arena, European ambitions and wider ownership plans still taking shape, there is plenty left to accomplish.

For a player who has spent the last decade building his reputation in the NBA, the move gives him an opportunity to shape a basketball organisation from a different position. And if Napoli can turn its current progress into the European presence its owners envision, Hart’s first step into sports ownership could become a much bigger part of his career than simply another business investment.