Shaquille O'Neal becomes face of Papa John's, will invest in 9 Atlanta locations

Shaquille O'Neal and Papa John's have joined forces, with the NBA Hall of Famer signing on as the pizza's company new spokesperson.

On Friday, the chain announced O'Neal will join its board of directors. He will also invest in nine Papa John's stores in Atlanta and become the restaurant's brand ambassador.

“I have truly enjoyed the high-quality Papa John’s product for years and am excited to be able to help Papa John’s raise their game to new heights,” O’Neal said in a statement. “This is a triple threat opportunity for me. I am excited to join the Board and to help lead from the top, while also investing in nine stores in my home town of Atlanta and being an ambassador for the brand ... Papa John’s is building a better culture, and I want to be a part of improving the Company from the inside out.”

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Jeff Smith, the chairman of the Papa John’s board of directors, is also thrilled about the partnership.

“Shaquille has an excellent entrepreneurial background, including as a restaurant franchise owner, and is a natural creative marketer,” Smith said. “Shaquille has demonstrated great success through understanding the customer value proposition with product and brand differentiation. ”

This isn't the first time O'Neal has collaborated with a huge brand. The four-time NBA champion and television sports analyst also has a partnership with Five Guys and owns an Atlanta-area Krispy Kreme. He's the founder of Big Chicken, a fried chicken restaurant in Las Vegas, as well as Shaquille's, a fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles.

Want to learn more about the business venture? The AJC's Rodney Ho spoke with O'Neal about his decision to join Papa John's.

Cox Media Group