Heated Reunion During DiVincenzo’s First Game Back at MSG
By Keith Mado October 15, 2024 13:11
The Knicks' offseason acquisition of Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, bringing him back together with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo in New York, was an incredible moment. A lot of hype surrounded the team, earning the moniker “Nova Knicks,” as fans and pundits alike were excited to see what these old teammates would look like together on the floor.
However, right before the 2024-25 NBA Preseason started, the Knicks and the Timberwolves headlined sports outlets around the globe by agreeing to a blockbuster trade that would send Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to Minnesota for 4x All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.
The move made sense for both sides, as the Wolves were trying to unload KAT’s hefty contract and officially start the “ANT era” in Minnesota, while New York would address their woes at the center position after the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and provide them much-needed spacing to boot.
Donte was reunited with his old teammates when the Timberwolves visited MSG for a preseason game on Sunday, but it wasn’t the sunshine and rainbows some fans were expecting. He was fiery, seen barking at the Knicks bench while at the charity stripe midway through the first quarter.
The game’s broadcast was able to pick up the audio, and it appeared that Donte said, "Thank you for the trade, Thibs. Thank you for the trade... that's what happens when they let you run the show. That's what happens when they let you run the show."
Adding more fuel to the fire, DiVincenzo and Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson got into a bit of a quarrel postgame, and both teams needed to step in to pacify the situation.
"I'm not there anymore; I play competitive; I wear my heart on my sleeve, and that's all it was," Donte told reporters after the game. "There's absolutely nothing but love from my end to the organization," he added.
"Them showing the video, saying thank you; including me in the video with Julius is special to me," DiVincenzo said. "It was special."
The heated match ended in a 115-110 Knicks win. Anthony Edwards scored the game-high 31 points in 27 minutes, while the Knicks’ captain Jalen Brunson led the way for his team with 24 points and six dimes in 24 minutes. KAT also balled out against his
former team, posting a monster double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 16 boards.
Donte was a pivotal piece in the Knicks’ success last season, providing reliable shooting and floor spacing to Thibodeau's defensive system. He averaged career highs in points (15.5), 3-pointers (283), and 3-point percentage (40.1%) last season, and only time will tell if he can keep his impressive form with the Timberwolves this 2024-25 campaign.
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