Donte DiVincenzo, a former Knicks player, was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this year in a deal that sent Julius Randle to New York and brought Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks. During his time with New York, DiVincenzo gained popularity among fans but faced challenges after the acquisition of Mikal Bridges, which led to a reduced role and eventually his inclusion in the trade. Throughout this period, DiVincenzo has shown unwavering loyalty to coach Tom Thibodeau, a bond that recently caused tensions in the Timberwolves locker room.
DiVincenzo’s Strong Loyalty Toward Tom Thibodeau
Fred Katz, a senior writer at The Athletic, revealed insights into DiVincenzo’s deep admiration for Tom Thibodeau. In an interview on The Ringer <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA Show, Katz described how DiVincenzo’s respect for Thibodeau rivals, or even surpasses, the love most people have for their own family members. This loyalty was so intense that DiVincenzo reportedly confronted teammates to defend the coach’s reputation when Thibodeau was being criticized.
Thibodeau is known for demanding hard work from his players and limiting rotations, which has made him a common target in anonymous NBA player polls for coaches they least want to play for. Despite this, DiVincenzo vocally defended Thibodeau, insisting to reporters and teammates that the coach is “the fu**ing best.” According to Katz, DiVincenzo would chase down reporters during the poll process to prevent any negative votes against Thibodeau.
“It’s so funny to me that Donte, Rick Brunson, and Thibs all had their thing in the preseason game earlier last year that was such a thing. [People said] ‘Oh, Donte’s pissed at Thibs.’ Man, Donte DiVincenzo loves Thibs more than either of us loves our own mothers. It’s crazy how much DiVincenzo loves Thibs,”
—Fred Katz, Senior Writer, The Athletic
“Every year, The Athletic does an anonymous player poll, and one of the questions always is ‘Which coach would you least like to play for?’ And this year we changed the question to, ‘Who do you think is the worst coach?’”
—Fred Katz, Senior Writer, The Athletic
“When it was [the earlier version of the question], Thibs would win that poll. So apparently, this year when the Minnesota players were filling the poll when Donte was already on Minnesota, Donte would follow around the reporters who would take the answers.”
—Fred Katz, Senior Writer, The Athletic
“And when it got to the coach question, Donte would be like, ‘You mother****er. You better not say Tom Thibodeau, he’s the fu**ing best.’ Like he was gatekeeping Thibs like that guy loves Thibs.”
—Fred Katz, Senior Writer, The Athletic
On-Court Performance and Impact With the Knicks
During his single season with the New York Knicks in 2023-24, DiVincenzo made a notable impact by averaging 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. A highlight of his Knicks tenure was delivering a game-winning shot against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, securing a memorable moment for fans. Despite these contributions, his role diminished following the addition of Mikal Bridges, fueling rumors of internal discord within the team.
Conflict With Teammates After Preseason Game
In October 2024, an altercation occurred between DiVincenzo and Rick Brunson, an assistant coach closely associated with Tom Thibodeau. The disagreement followed a preseason game, where DiVincenzo was reportedly trash-talking toward the Knicks bench. Brunson criticized DiVincenzo’s conduct as “s**ker s**t” before DiVincenzo responded, clarifying that his comments were directed at coach Thibodeau, not Brunson.
“I was speaking to coach Tom Thibodeau, not Rick,”
—Donte DiVincenzo
Both parties later downplayed the incident, emphasizing their familial closeness despite the confrontation. Adding to the dynamics, Rick Brunson’s son, Jalen Brunson, is a close friend of DiVincenzo, and both have affirmed that the disagreement was not as severe as it initially appeared.
Potential and Future Impact on Knicks and Timberwolves
DiVincenzo’s departure from the Knicks remains a topic of speculation, especially given his record-setting three-point performance during his time in New York. Paired with his former Villanova college teammates, with whom he won two NCAA championships, his presence could have elevated the Knicks to true championship contenders. Moving forward, his role in Minnesota and the team dynamics under Thibodeau continue to attract attention, particularly given the evident loyalty he maintains toward the head coach despite internal tensions.