Steph reveals his nickname for DiVincenzo in Warriors tenure originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Donte DiVincenzo was 25 years old and had four years of NBA experience when he signed with the Warriors last summer, but he acted and played like a grizzled veteran in his only season in the Bay Area.
With the way DiVincenzo, now 26, carries himself, it lent itself to Warriors superstar Steph Curry’s perfect nickname.
While speaking to the media on Thursday at the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada, Curry was asked about DiVincenzo’s signing with the New York Knicks and what he will bring to his new team.
“He’s passionate about basketball,” Curry told reporters. “He’s all about winning. He brings great energy to the locker room. I used to call him ‘The Vet’ even though he’s still younger just because he has that kind of mind about him. He’s playing well beyond his years. And he’s good on both sides of the ball.
“He can play-do better than most people probably realize. So he fills a lot of holes in a team and he’s not selfish in respect to, I know he wants to start and be that guy. there, but he also understands where value can be created in a team, whatever role you are asked to play.He bought in right away and he 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 deal was a player option, which he declined 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 ended up starting 36 games due to injuries and the absence of Andrew Wiggins.
While the Warriors would have loved to keep DiVincenzo, they knew he was going to ask for more money than they could afford.
“Super happy, super proud of him,” Curry said. “We had a good conversation last offseason when he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do. I know he’s coming out of injury and trying to find a situation that might help establish who he is in as an NBA player and how much value he brings to winning teams.
“And he’s proven that above and beyond with us all year. He knows how to play a game. You can tell he won at the highest level in college. The Knicks had it. a good one, and I’m glad he got his fair share of CBA too.
DiVincenzo said goodbye to Dub Nation in an Instagram post Thursday night, and he’ll likely get a standing ovation from the Chase Center crowd whenever he returns this upcoming season.
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