MINNEAPOLIS — The belief of what it was going to take to completely grow to be a Minnesota Timberwolf got here slowly for Donte DiVincenzo.
Regardless of how typically he stated that he was completely satisfied to be in Minnesota, irrespective of how welcoming his new teammates and coaches have been to a participant they so desperately wanted, DiVincenzo couldn’t assist himself from holding on to what he left behind.
For an athlete, there’s nothing extra intoxicating than the roar of the group, and DiVincenzo’s final reminiscences of his one season within the Large Apple have been soaked in adoration from the New York Knicks’ devoted. Madison Sq. Backyard erupted for him within the Knicks’ final sport of the season, when he scored 39 factors throughout a loss to the Indiana Pacers in Recreation 7 of their second-round collection. And his ears have been nonetheless ringing from the mayhem of Recreation 2 of the first-round collection in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers, in opposition to whom his 3-pointer capped a miraculous comeback win and left him virtually speechless from the quantity inside one of many league’s most storied arenas.
The “Large Ragu” was a smash hit on Broadway, averaging a career-high 15.5 factors per sport and hitting 40 p.c of his 3s for an upstart staff that fought to the dying. When he was traded on the eve of coaching camp together with Julius Randle to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Cities, DiVincenzo instructed himself that it was for the most effective. The Knicks had simply spent a boatload of draft capital to accumulate one other wing in Mikal Bridges, that means he probably was not going to have the ability to maintain on to his beginning spot, and he was coming to one of many rising groups within the Western Convention, one with a megawatt star in Anthony Edwards that was coming into the season with championship aspirations.
The Timberwolves turned down a number of gives from the Knicks over the previous yr and solely relented after they included DiVincenzo within the deal, so he knew he was needed in his new dwelling.
However that roar. It’s straight dopamine into the veins. You don’t simply go away that behind. You don’t simply neglect that once you step on the aircraft.
“From what I felt, I believe he was nonetheless hanging on to some frustration from what occurred,” Wolves middle Rudy Gobert stated. “He’s human. However once you wish to succeed, you’ve acquired to let that go.”
There was an anvil hanging round his neck. The previous was stopping him from totally embracing the current. There was just one factor to do.
“Cease evaluating what you probably did final yr and simply exit and hoop,” DiVincenzo stated.
In contrast to most offseason trades, DiVincenzo had no time to course of this one. The Timberwolves and Knicks pulled off their blockbuster simply two days earlier than coaching camp opened. Like the remainder of the principals concerned within the deal, DiVincenzo was caught utterly off guard.
“I used to be at dwelling chilling,” he stated. “Subsequent factor I do know, I’m on a flight going to Minnesota.”
It was nothing in opposition to Minnesota or the Timberwolves. DiVincenzo was genuinely excited to play with Edwards and are available to a staff that he knew valued his ability set. It was simply jarring to should relocate so near the beginning of a season. As quickly because the common season started, DiVincenzo simply couldn’t discover the identical gear that had led to his profession marketing campaign with New York.
By way of the primary 18 video games of the season, he averaged 8.9 factors on 35 p.c taking pictures, together with 31.5 p.c from 3-point vary. This was not the fiery competitor, plug-and-play, 3-and-D wing the Wolves thought they have been getting. This was an angsty, erratic participant vulnerable to turnovers on drives to the basket and scuds that clanked laborious off the again iron when he pulled up from 3.
Everybody, from gamers to coaches to followers, needed to see this new-look Timberwolves staff simply choose up the place it left off final season. The fact of the state of affairs was rather more advanced.
“It’s laborious, as a result of you realize that going again to the commerce, you lose an enormous piece,” DiVincenzo stated of Cities. “And you’ve got two guys coming in that aren’t simply throw-in guys. They’re key rotation guys that it’s important to determine it out. And when issues aren’t going effectively, there’s quite a lot of stones thrown at you guys due to the success that the staff had final yr, however understanding keep collectively and determine it out.”
Within the gossip-riddled NBA, hypothesis began to unfold of DiVincenzo’s unhappiness along with his position. He went from beginning the final 74 video games of final season and averaging 36 minutes per evening within the playoffs for the Knicks to coming off of the bench for twenty-four minutes a sport in Minnesota. These Knicks have been the toast of the city for his or her sudden success within the Japanese Convention playoffs. These Timberwolves have been booed at dwelling earlier within the season as a result of they weren’t assembly the expectations set by final season’s run to the West finals.
DiVincenzo’s physique language did little to dissuade the rumor-mongers. Even when he was making photographs, he reacted extra with a sigh of aid than the bravado that’s his calling card. His shoulders slumped with each turnover that got here from attempting to get Gobert the ball. His solutions in interviews grew edgier as he was requested concerning the staff’s struggles to discover a rhythm.
“All people holds themselves to a excessive normal, so when it’s not going to that skill of what you realize you’re able to, it looks as if the adverse is worse than what it truly is,” DiVincenzo stated. “For me, it’s simply understanding that some video games aren’t going to occur. You’re not going to have your evening. However what are you able to cling your hat on? Making vitality performs, doing the little issues and giving your self as much as your teammates.”
By way of all the early-season struggles, the Wolves by no means wavered with DiVincenzo. They love his expertise, love his contract and see him as a major a part of their core going ahead. Edwards went via a taking pictures session with him on Thanksgiving to attempt to increase his spirits. Chris Finch talked to him about the place he feels snug getting his photographs and the way they’ll make issues simpler for him. Mike Conley and Naz Reid inspired him to maintain taking pictures it doesn’t matter what.
Nevertheless it was an opportunity dialog with veteran guard (and Wolves nemesis) Dennis Schröder that helped crystalize DiVincenzo’s outlook.
When Schröder was traded from Brooklyn to Golden State final week, he sought out DiVincenzo for notes on what it was prefer to play for the Warriors. DiVincenzo raved about his expertise in Golden State and provided some ideas on how Schröder might acclimate to his new environment. Schröder then turned the tables on him. He instructed DiVincenzo that it was time to cease fixating on his transition from New York to Minnesota and simply get on the market and play.
“He was simply easy along with his phrases,” DiVincenzo stated. “He stated that it’s laborious. You simply should exit and do it. Regardless of the place you’re at, simply be you and simply go do it. You look your self within the mirror and be like, all proper, the state of affairs is the state of affairs. Let final yr go. This yr is that this yr.”
During the last six video games, DiVincenzo is beginning to look rather more just like the difference-maker he was in New York and the important thing position participant who helped the Milwaukee Bucks win a championship. In that span, he’s averaging 15.2 factors on 50 p.c taking pictures, together with 49 p.c from 3-point vary. He scored a season-high 26 factors on Sunday evening and was a team-best plus-23 in a 112-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota’s third straight win.
DiVincenzo hit 5 of 10 3s and in addition had seven rebounds and 4 assists, one sport after hitting six 3s and scoring 22 factors within the Wolves’ come-from-behind win in Houston.
“He’s giving us all the pieces,” Finch stated. “He’s giving us all the pieces we knew he was with the rebounding and the shotmaking and the sensible play.”
The important thing for DiVincenzo recently is that he has been a lot greater than only a shooter. He’s grabbing rebounds in site visitors, serving to the Wolves out-board 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs 56-41 on Sunday evening. He’s discovering some chemistry with Gobert, hitting him on lobs and pick-and-roll actions for simple buckets.
Rudy Gobert PnR reverse dunk, assisted by Donte DiVincenzo pic.twitter.com/MB1jV7P52k
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) December 30, 2024
And he could have had the play of the sport when he raced again on protection to interrupt up a go from Chris Paul to Wembanyama that would have minimize Minnesota’s result in one level with 90 seconds to play.
Donte DiVincenzo clutch hustle play pic.twitter.com/3bmoW0rdmx
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) December 30, 2024
“I believe that’s what will get me going. It’s what will get all people else going,” DiVincenzo stated. “That’s who I’m. It’s what my identification is. It’s additionally what our identification as a staff is. … The great is contagious; so is the unhealthy. So, these little performs of simply attempting to make a play then turns into different guys making performs.”
As he began to search out his footing, the sauce is returning to Ragu’s sport as effectively. Now, when he hits an open 3, he’ll do his trademark celebration and maintain out his proper arm with three fingers prolonged whereas pointing to the ice in his veins.
13 PTS EACH FOR THESE TWO 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZdSBsedgdU
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 28, 2024
He unleashed a finger roll on a drive to the basket in opposition to San Antonio and in addition froze Keldon Johnson in transition with a sluggish spin transfer, a sport drenched in confidence.
OKAY DDV 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/JiDXCOUNW7
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 30, 2024
“Getting again to taking part in for the enjoyment and love of the sport versus evaluating what I did and attempting to construct off of it,” DiVincenzo stated. “Simply being on the market. You’ll be able to’t take it with no consideration. You’re taking part in within the NBA, and also you’re taking part in for the most effective groups within the league, and also you’re taking part in with the most effective younger superstars within the league. That dude has enjoyable. Go have enjoyable with him.”
The Wolves are all having enjoyable proper now. After a three-game dropping streak dropped them to a disappointing .500, they went on the street to beat Dallas on Christmas Day and got here again from 16 down with 5 minutes to play in Houston to stun the Rockets. They have been down eight factors early within the fourth quarter in opposition to San Antonio, however DiVincenzo performed the final 17 minutes of the second half to assist rally the Wolves (17-14), who’re 9-4 of their final 13. Each a kind of wins has come in opposition to a staff with a report over .500 on the time.
Rudy Gobert had 17 factors, 15 rebounds and a block in opposition to the Spurs. Randle added 16 factors and 4 assists and gave it his all on protection in opposition to the towering Wembanyama, who had 34 factors on 13-of-30 taking pictures.
After the Timberwolves acquired a remaining defensive cease to protect their win, DiVincenzo was interviewed within the area because the participant of the sport. The sellout crowd hollered “Donte! Donte! Donte!” as he answered questions, a heat and well-earned embrace from a fan base that has been ready to see this model of him.
“It was tremendous cool,” DiVincenzo stated with a large smile.
And he left it at that. No want to match it to what he heard in New York. That’s up to now. There are new reminiscences to make.
“Simply let go. Simply go play. That is dwelling. I wish to be right here,” DiVincenzo stated. “There’s nothing else outdoors of that. It’s not (hypothesis) that I don’t wish to be right here. It’s not (individuals saying) that I’m p—-ed off. No. I’m completely satisfied as hell.
“My household’s right here. I’m elevating my household right here. It’s an attractive metropolis. I wish to be right here. Now, simply go play.”
(Prime picture: David Berding / Getty Photos )