Former Knick Donte DiVincenzo Explains Postgame Skirmish With Knick Assistant Coach Rick Brunson, Dad Of Star Jalen Brunson

Former New York Knicks shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo and Knick assistant coach Rick Brunson, the father of Jalen Brunson, came to blows after a pre-season game, and players needed to intervene.

The game marked DiVincenzo’s first appearance in Madison Square Garden since being traded from the Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns. The trade came as a blindside to the Villanova graduate, and the hostilities started early in the game. When DiVincenzo went to the free throw line in the first quarter, he exchanged words with a member of the Knick bench, although it is not clear who it was. After the game, DiVincenzo and Brunson pointed fingers at each other and could be seen raising their voices.

DiVincenzo served as a groomsman at Jalen’s wedding, and the two remain close.

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“My relationship with Jalen, that’s my brother and my best friend,” he said. “That’s a separate relationship. I’ll talk about that privately, and figure everything out. But it is what it is.”

After the game, Brunson gave his side of the story, as he had his arm around DiVincenzo during the dust-up.
“I was right there,” he said. “It was words of affirmation.”

While the war of words distracted the two sides briefly, they both are set on deep playoff runs in the 2024-25 season after a strong campaign last year. New York lost in game seven of the second round to the Indiana Pacers at home, leaving them with a bad taste in the off-season. The Knicks traded for Miles Bridges along with Towns, putting together a strong, athletic, lengthy team that they hope can compete with the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves made it to the Western Conference Finals last season before losing to the Dallas Mavericks. They believe the addition of Randle and DiVincenzo can sure up their bench while giving more minutes to Naz Reid.