- Programming Note: Watch Monte Poole's full interview with Donte DiVincenzo on NBC Sports Bay Area at 8:30 p.m. PT on Sunday following Dubs Talk Live
Guard Donte DiVincenzo found a good landing spot in the Bay when he signed a two-year, $9.2 million free agent contract with the Warriors last offseason, and aside from the economics, Golden State has helped the 26-year-old on and off the court.
DiVincenzo recently spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole on the latest "Dubs Talk" episode and stated that joining the Warriors has allowed him to regain his confidence. The 2021 NBA champion believes playing playground ball is similar to what he's experiencing with Golden State, which explains the newfound enthusiasm the 2022-23 season.
"It's funny you say that, that's how I feel this year," DiVincenzo said. "Last year with injury, you start to worry about things you can't control... and it takes away from playing basketball.
"Coming here, the organization helped me and allowed me to just hoop. Right or wrong, we'll watch it on film, good job we can improve this. So that has really helped my confidence. I'm not worried about anything else besides proving myself every single night and I just want to be the hardest playing player on the court."
Before joining the Warriors, DiVincenzo was drafted No. 17 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, where the Villanova product spent four seasons. Although DiVincenzo suffered a left ankle injury against the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA playoffs, he was part of the team that won the Larry O'Brien trophy in 2021.
Golden State Warriors
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After rehabbing and returning from his ankle injury, the Bucks sent DiVincenzo to the Sacramento Kings before the 2022 NBA trade deadline as part of a four-team deal. DiVincenzo now is on a Warriors team with championship aspirations and wants to ensure he's part of the ride this time and not sitting on the sidelines.
Entering the NBA All-Star break, DiVincenzo has appeared in 48 games for the Warriors, averaging 9.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
The second year of DiVincenzo's contract is a player option, so it's unknown if he will be back with the Warriors next season. Even if it is a one-year stay in San Francisco, it appears his time with Golden State already has paid off.