Steph reveals his nickname for DiVincenzo in Warriors Tenure, which originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Donte DiVincenzo was 25 and had four years of NBA experience when he signed with the Warriors last summer, but during his one season in the Bay Area he acted and played like a grizzled veteran.
The way DiVincenzo, now 26, behaves provided the perfect moniker for Warriors superstar Steph Curry.
Speaking to the media Thursday at the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada, Curry was asked if DiVincenzo had signed with the New York Knicks and what he would bring to his new team.
“He’s all about basketball,” Curry told reporters. “He’s all about winning. He brings great energy to the dressing room. I used to call him ‘The Vet’ although he’s still on the younger side just because he has that spirit about him. He’s playing way beyond his years.” And he’s good on both sides of the ball.
“He can play better than most people probably realize. So he fills in a lot of gaps in a team and he’s not selfish about that. I know he wants to start and be that guy, but he also understands where value can be.” It can be created in a team, no matter the role. He immediately got involved and was rewarded for it.”
DiVincenzo signed a four-year, $46.87 million contract with the Knicks after spending last season with the Warriors. He originally signed a two-year, $9.23 million contract with Golden State, although the second year of the contract was a player option, which he declined in order to become a free agent.
In 72 games with the Warriors, DiVincenzo averaged 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26.3 minutes. He started 36 games due to injuries and the absence of Andrew Wiggins.
Although the Warriors would have liked to keep DiVincenzo, they knew he would be asking for more money than they could offer.
“Super happy, super proud of him,” Curry said. “We had a good conversation during the final break of the season as he tried to figure out what he wanted to do. I know he’s been through an injury and is trying to find a situation that might help him figure out who he is as an NBA player and how much value he brings to winning teams.
“And he’s proven that with us all year. He knows how to play a game. You can tell he won at the highest level in college. The Knicks got a good result and I’m glad he lived up to it.” The CBA share was good too.
DiVincenzo bid his farewell to Dub Nation in an Instagram post Thursday night and is likely to get a nice ovation from the Chase Center audience when he returns next season.
Donte DiVincenzo’s message to Dub Nation ✍️ pic.twitter.com/fnfaXaX079
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 13, 2023
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