Shaquille O’Neal’s aspirations to enter the Billionaire club will, this time, seemingly take him overseas. For those unaware, Big Diesel, who reportedly does not frequently monitor his financial standpoint, was quite shocked and somewhat frustrated at learning he has not hit that 10-digit mark yet. The revelation came to him from the 2024 Forbes World’s Billionaires List. Since then, he has taken it on himself to change that status as soon as possible. Coming in as a big advancement in this direction is the update regarding his latest venture.

A report by Eurohoops.net says the former Los Angeles Lakers star has joined the ownership group of Napoli Basket, a professional basketball team in Italy. The club was recently 66 percent acquired by a group led by Italian-American Matt Rizzetta, as per Naples news outlet Il Mattino. Interestingly, the same report confirms that Shaq is part of this new ownership circle. So, who exactly is he teaming up with on this? Let’s take a closer look.

A closer look at the ownership group that Shaquille O’Neal will be part of in Italy

As per an article by Basketball News, leading the charges are Rizzetta and Daniel Doyle, two American entrepreneurs backed by a group of seasoned business partners. Rizzetta, who is proudly Italian-American, isn’t new to the world of sports ownership. In fact, he’s been juggling multiple ventures across both the U.S. and Italy.

As per a report by We The Italians, Rizzetta heads the North Sixth Group, a company active in media, marketing, and sports. On top of that, he owns Campobasso FC, a soccer club competing in Italy’s Serie C, and serves as the president of Brooklyn FC, a women’s soccer team based in the U.S. With a resume that blends American innovation with Italian tradition, Rizzetta is now taking over as the club president of Napoli.

Meanwhile, his partner, Daniel Doyle, also brings something meaningful to the table. Though less is known about his career path, a press release by Napoli Basket has described him as an American businessman with Campanian heritage, tying him culturally to the Naples region. Furthermore, official records recognize him as a key figure in the New York-based association now in control of the club.

Then there are two other names in the mix—Vincent Beni and Robert Wood, both from Florida. They are listed as notable members of the ownership group. There’s not much public information available about them, but they are labeled as “decorated” entrepreneurs. While Rizzetta will be the visible face of the project, the team behind him seems equally influential. He will replace outgoing president Federico Grassi and lead the way forward.

According to a report from Il Matino, the new ownership has already signaled an “ambitious future” for Napoli Basket. The club’s press release echoes that optimism, stating Rizzetta’s involvement brings “new economic forces and an international vision,” adding much-needed stability and a broader spotlight to a team that has stayed in Italy’s top league for four consecutive seasons.

As for the previous stakeholders—Amoroso, Tavassi, and Grassi—the shares have changed hands, except for the Grassi family, which still holds on to a 33 percent stake. That keeps them invested in what comes next. But what about Shaquille O’Neal? What exactly does he bring to the table?

How does this new ownership group align with Shaquille O’Neal’s existing business portfolio?

Shaq joining hands with Napoli Basket may seem like a surprising move at first glance, but when you step back and look at the bigger picture, it fits right into his ever-evolving business playbook. Over the past decade, the NBA legend has turned his towering presence into much more than a basketball legacy—he’s become a brand in motion, constantly expanding into new arenas.

Rewind to 2013, and you’ll find the 4x NBA champ stepping into NBA ownership by buying a 16 percent stake in the Sacramento Kings, backing the then-new owner Vivek Ranadive. As ESPN noted, he held onto that share until early 2022, when league regulations required him to exit as he began chasing other business opportunities. That exit, however, wasn’t a retreat—it was a redirection.

In the years since, Shaquille O’Neal has embraced the booming world of sports betting. Once he left the Kings, he teamed up with WynnBET as a brand ambassador. He’s not just the face of their ads—he also helped launch ShaqPot, a free-to-play prediction game tied to sports betting. This step marked his transition into the new age of sports marketing, where entertainment meets online gaming.

But his business footprint doesn’t stop there. Shaq owns a collection of fast-food franchises—Papa John’s, Five Guys, Auntie Anne’s, and more. Many of these are cleverly connected to sports arenas and events. Add to that his role on TNT’s Inside the NBA and appearances on various sports podcasts, and it’s clear that Shaq has built a business empire rooted in the world that made him famous.

Now, with his latest move into European basketball, there’s a clear pattern emerging. He’s shown serious interest in growing the game globally, previously speaking about an NBA Europe team and even touring international leagues. Owning a slice of Napoli Basket gives him a ground-level role in that expansion. And as one report puts it, “the face value of the Big Aristotle can bring a much-needed boost” to a rising team.

Though investing in Italian basketball is new territory for him, this partnership reflects how global the game—and its business—is becoming. Shaquille O’Neal’s entry into Napoli Basket, alongside Matt Rizzetta and his team, is being described as a forward-thinking step to give the club an international lift. With Rizzetta’s experience and the group’s international vision, Big Diesel’s star power adds the spotlight every team dreams of. This latest deal is simply another chapter in a business journey that keeps crossing new borders, just like the man himself.