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Milwaukee Bucks: Getting to know 17th overall pick, Donte DiVincenzo

By Jordan Treske

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 21: Donte DiVincenzo poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 21: Donte DiVincenzo poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

DiVincenzo’s Three Years At Villanova

It took some time for DiVincenzo to fully make his mark on the WIldcats as he suffered a fractured right foot during his freshman campaign. Having only played in eight games that year, DiVincenzo was able to medically redshirt as a result of his injury.

After the Wildcats went on to win the NCAA Championship during the 2015-16 season, DiVincenzo got up to speed in order to help the Wildcats try to defend their title throughout the Delaware native’s redshirt freshman season.

Playing all but one of his 36 appearances off the bench in the 2016-17 season, DiVincenzo averaged 8.8 points on shooting splits of .466/.365/.699, along with 3.8 rebounds as well as 1.7 assists. But the Wildcats were unable to go back-to-back as they were upset by the University of Wisconsin in the second round of that year’s NCAA Tournament.

With much of the Wildcats’ foundation intact, aside from the departure of current Los Angeles Lakers swingman Josh Hart, DiVincenzo assumed sixth man duties for a Wildcats squad that was on a mission under famed head coach Jay Wright.

DiVincenzo made the role his own by going on to tally 13.4 points on shooting splits of .481/.401/.710 as well as 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in his 40 appearances on the year, 10 of them coming in starts.

As a result of his strong redshirt sophomore season, the combo guard went on to win Big East Sixth Man of the Year and of course, was named Most Outstanding Player following his memorable showing in this year’s Final Four.

When reflecting on having to adjust from being the star of his high school to becoming a vital piece within Villanova’s bench unit, here’s what DiVincenzo had to say to Joe Juliano of Philly.com earlier this year:

"“It was a big adjustment,” DiVincenzo, now a redshirt sophomore, said Monday after being rewarded for his role on this year’s Wildcats, winning the Big East Sixth Man Award. “I was the main guy in high school and coming here as a freshman, I learned sitting out my year. That’s when I learned to really take my role and run with it. When I was sitting out, I just tried to do the best I could for being [on the scout team]. Last year I just tried to be the best role player I could be coming off the bench. “And the same thing this year, there was no different pressure. There was nothing more for me to do other than what I did last year, just more minutes to play, and that’s it.”"

The combination of winning his second title in three years and going on to have a breakout redshirt sophomore season was a certainly a great capper to DiVincenzo’s collegiate career.

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