How Steph ‘Completely Changed’ DiVincenzo’s NBA Mindset originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Over the past decade, the Warriors have built a reputation for their unrivaled culture and style of play.
This, in turn, has made them an attractive place for free agents who want to revitalize themselves.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, who played with Golden State during the 2022-23 NBA season, was one of those players who parlayed a successful year in the Bay into a long-term deal with another franchise.
“I took that year to rebalance and rekindle what I thought I could be, and I don’t think I could have gone to a better place to do that,” DiVincenzo told Duncan Robinson and Tommy Alter for “A Young Man and Three.” podcast. “Playing with these guys completely changed my mindset about basketball.”
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After averaging 9.4 points in about 26 minutes per game — while shooting a then-best 39.7 percent from 3-point range — DiVincenzo received a four-year contract worth nearly $47 million from the New York Knicks in 2023 .
“I don’t think there’s this secret recipe that they do, but it’s the style of play that they have that makes a lot of guys successful,” DiVincenzo explained what stuck with him about the Warriors.
“I think there are certain organizations that you can just go to and play a certain style that makes guys look really good. And I think that’s Golden State. If you can thrive in the chaos of what they’re doing — I’ve gotten so many open looks that I never thought I could.”
DiVincenzo particularly highlighted the ease of fitting in with the Warriors.
“On offense, literally run like crazy and shoot the ball and look really good doing it,” he declared.
Sharpshooter DiVincenzo also detailed Warriors guard Steph Curry’s impact on his own game — especially his work ethic and demeanor.
“He came ready to work every day, the amount of shots he took and the details. The guy never had a day off,” DiVincenzo recalled. “That year really changed everything in my approach to practice.”
Additionally, DiVincenzo — who has now played on five different NBA teams — pointed to the importance of the Warriors’ veterans.
“It’s also the responsibility of a lot of guys in these organizations who either played there or were around that coach in the years before that,” DiVincenzo continued. “You go to Golden State — Shaun Livingston was there. He was in the front office at the time, but he was a huge voice for many of us. And you had Andre Iguodala. Andre was still playing, but at the time he was a coach. It’s a legend. He was the voice.”
On that coaching note, DiVincenzo alluded to a recent incident where Warriors coach Steve Kerr was angry with Curry after a bad turnover.
“They hold even the best players accountable,” DiVincenzo concluded, “so when you see that … Steph being cussed out and cursed at and coached in a certain way — who am I to think I should have an attitude when they say something me?”
Ultimately, it’s another example of the respect many NBA players have for Curry and the rest of the Warriors organization, as well as an interesting look at why they’ve been so successful.
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