Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal has been named as the most recent addition to the Papa John’s Pizza Board of Directors.
Shaq made the announcement Friday on his Instagram account. He posted a photo of himself in front of the Papa John’s logo captioned, “Time for a pizza party! I’m excited to join @PapaJohns as a member of the Board of Directors and as an investor in nine stores in Atlanta.”
The announcement comes as a step forward for Papa John’s Pizza after founder John Schnatter stepped down last May. Schnatter admitted to using the N-word during a conference call with executives which ultimately led to his departure.
Papa John’s has been boycotted five times by members of the black community since, which has led to a decline in sales, according to TMZ. (RELATED: Shaq Somehow Managed To Spend $70,000 At Walmart)
“Because of my background, I know that behind every large company, there are thousands of people that put their heart and soul into the business. Papa John’s is no different,” Shaq said.
As part of the business deal, Shaq will now have ownership of nine stores in Atlanta. “As a soon-to-be investor in Atlanta Papa John’s restaurants, I am looking forward to engaging our community members, and, as board member, sharing my other experiences in business, marketing and teamwork,” Shaq said.