As Donte DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson addressed the situation with Rick Brunson, the latter went on his son's podcast, The Roommates, and talked about what transpired in Madison Square Garden.
“As you know, he’s family,” Brunson said. “I thought it was blown out of proportion. I could’ve handled it in a better way, but I know you; I know him; I know Mikal, Jalen obviously; I know where you guys come from. Just wanted to make sure you all act accordingly, and I thought myself included, we didn’t act right. But it’s over. We talked the next day, and it’s all good.”
The exchange between DiVincenzo and Brunson caught steam on social media, and many thought there was true animosity. After all, only a couple of weeks prior, the Knicks traded DiVincenzo as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Karl-Anthony Towns to the Big Apple.
The Knicks are in an unusual situation at the time having four players from Villanova basketball all on the same team and having known each other for years before the Knicks traded DiVincenzo. All of them were on a National Championship-winning roster in 2018. Fast-forward to 2024, one of those former Villanova players is not on the squad.
Will the Donte DiVincenzo and Rick Brunson beef continue?
The preseason game between the two teams sparked pure emotion. After all, it was DiVincenzo's first return to the garden. Fans embraced the former guard and gave him his flowers throughout the game. However, some tension persisted, as DiVincenzo was a big part of their playoff push last season.
Due to a variety of injuries, DiVincenzo stepped up for the Knicks in a big way. In their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers, he showed his scoring ability. In four of his seven games, he scored 20+ points. Not to mention, in Game 7, DiVincenzo scored 39 points and hit nine three-point shots. While it wasn't enough, Knicks fans appreciated the grit and tenacity.
Now, he's aiming to replicate that feat with the Minnesota Timberwolves. While his statistics this season don't support another breakout year, it's a completely new system. Going from Tom Thibodeau to Chris Finch less than a month before the season began is a big ask.
Once DiVincenzo figures out the system, he can easily replicate his scoring ability like he did with New York. However, when he returns to Madison Square Garden in January, there'll likely be no love lost. Although Rick Brunson and DiVincenzo have swept the situation under the rug, friends can become enemies in an instant during a basketball game.
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