On the Roommates Show, Jalen Brunson recounted an interesting story about his long-time friend Josh Hart. He recalled how the 29-year-old often got into fights with their recently departed teammate Donte DiVincenzo. One such brawl didn’t end well for Hart as he was knocked out at the end of it.
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This incident took place during their time as Villanova college mates in the mid-2010s.
Hart and DiVincenzo likely had a heated argument in the gym. It soon escalated and DiVincenzo lost control and threw a weight at his teammate. Brunson recollected how this unexpected turn of events knocked Hart out.
“They were the ones getting into fights. Him [Hart] and Donte. Donte threw a weight at his forehead and knocked Josh out.”
However, Hart downplayed the severity of the incidents. He claimed that the exchanges always stemmed from simple misunderstandings.
“It was a common misunderstanding, a couple of times, between brothers. I won both times. Just putting that out there. But water under the bridge. Donte, we love you, bro.”
These fights only brought the Nova players closer. Their chemistry became evident during the last season. They orchestrated the Knicks’ impressive playoff run to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals and helped the franchise re-establish its image in the East.
To keep this momentum going, the organization brought another Villanova alum, Mikal Bridges, to add to the mix.
However, this decision did not please everybody. As per the NBA insider, Mat Issa, DiVincenzo grew unhappy in Manhattan. He was not fully on board with the franchise’s Villanova reunion plan and realized the inclusion of Bridges would likely cut into his playing time.
As a result, DiVincenzo was included in the trade package the Knicks offered to the Timberwolves. The deal sent him and Julius Randle to Minneapolis, while Karl-Anthony Towns arrived in New York.
REPORT: Rumors are that Donte DiVincenzo was ‘unhappy in New York’ and was ‘not into the Nova Boys thing’. The Knicks were reportedly worried this could become a bigger issue and also believe Landry Shamet can provide quality of the bench too, hence the trade.
per @matissa15 pic.twitter.com/SGKopEjk7h
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) September 28, 2024
The trade has reshaped the core of both franchises and has added an extra layer of excitement to their two matchups in the upcoming regular season.
