Donte DiVincenzo and Knicks Assistant Coach Rick Brunson Get Into Spat During Game | TMZ Sports
Tense moment during the Knicks-Timberwolves game between Donte DiVincenzo and Rick Brunson in Donte's first return to NYC ... yikes!
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00:00Obviously it hurts a little bit, you always talk about playing with your college teammates but never about how it ends.
00:10He said being back in the Garden doesn't feel weird, but it did feel weird going back to his house last night
00:15and waking up to go to shoot around this morning as a member of the road team.
00:18He said initially he was hurt by the trade, but once he processed those feelings, having been traded before,
00:23he talked to Julius and started to become excited about the team that wanted him.
00:27And so far, he's fitting really well in Minnesota.
00:29I'm told he's already seen as a vocal leader on the team, having a big impact on Wilson-Robb-Dillingham
00:34and a budding relationship with Ant Guys.
00:37Welcome back to TMZ Sports, Mike and Mojo.
00:39Mojo, that was a tense moment during the Knicks-Timberwolves preseason game
00:45last night, Sunday night, at Madison Square Garden.
00:48Of course, there was a blockbuster trade made just a couple of weeks ago in the NBA
00:53between New York and Minnesota.
00:55Now, Dante DiVincenzo, along with Julius Randle, who were two stars for the Knicks, obviously,
01:02were sent to Minneapolis in return for NBA star Carl Anthony Towns.
01:07Now, this was Dante's first return to New York City.
01:12And yeah, he was running his mouth from the free throw line.
01:16You heard him say Tibbs.
01:18Of course, that's Tom Thibodeau, who is the head coach for the New York Knicks.
01:23Now, after the game, Mojo, there was another incident.
01:27But you see that guy right there, the bald guy?
01:30That's Rick Brunson.
01:31Rick Brunson is an assistant coach for the Knicks.
01:34Also, the father of that guy right there, Jalen Brunson.
01:39Now, Dante DiVincenzo is running his mouth, going back and forth,
01:44had to be restrained from coming face-to-face with Rick Brunson
01:48as Rick's son and Dante's buddy is right there.
01:52So, this was a mess.
01:53After the game, Dante DiVincenzo, of course, met with the media.
01:57And you know he was going to be asked about what happened on the court.
02:01Here's his explanation.
02:02It was also, I said, fuck you.
02:05I was saying, thanks for the trade.
02:07I didn't say thanks for the trade.
02:09I didn't say thanks for the trade.
02:11I was about to finish.
02:12I was joking.
02:13I was joking about not being able to get home on time.
02:17I wasn't talking to him.
02:19I wasn't talking to him.
02:21I didn't say anything about the trade.
02:23What was your vantage point?
02:27I guess, let's start with the game.
02:30As far as I can say, I don't know what to say.
02:35People there, I don't know.
02:37I really have no comment on the situation.
02:41I don't know what to say.
02:43I'm just talking about my current look.
02:44Yeah, Mojo.
02:45It seems clear to me that he is still very hurt by the trade.
02:48It's fresh.
02:49It didn't happen all that long ago.
02:50We're talking a matter of like two weeks.
02:53And he was excited to play.
02:55Remember the Nova Knicks?
02:56You've literally got this entire Villanova squad.
02:59And then the Knicks are like, okay, see you later, Dante.
03:02So, I get being hurt.
03:04Oh, yeah.
03:05You know he's upset.
03:06I mean, first of all, if I got traded away from a team,
03:10I was given away from a team.
03:13We do not want you anymore.
03:15So much that we're shipping you out of town.
03:18And then you come back and you lose to that team.
03:21Oh, brutal.
03:24Yeah, I hate that.
03:26So, you're not going to be in necessarily a great mood.
03:29But, you know, it really is challenging for a player.
03:32Whether you've been with a team for a month or whether you've been there for 10 years.
03:36Whether it's the only team you've ever played for or multiples.
03:38It doesn't really take the sting off of a move like this.
03:42It's tough, man.
03:43You give everything you can to a team in the city.
03:46It's not just playing for that program.
03:48You're going out.
03:49You're doing community service in the town.
03:51You're doing as much as you can to give back to the fans.
03:55Your family is there with you.
03:57Your family and friends, they either move there with you.
03:59They come to visit you.
04:01I mean, you plant your seed.
04:02You plant your flag in the city only to be given away.
04:07I mean, it's tough.
04:08So, you've got to expect when a player comes back after all that,
04:11they're going to be a little bit riled up.
04:13Trash talk is part of the game.
04:14We should expect that every game.
04:17Obviously, we try to make sure that that trash talk doesn't cross a certain line
04:21and get anybody in trouble or fined or suspended or whatever that might be.
04:25But, yeah, you're going to be chirping a little bit this time.
04:28It's understandably going to be a little heightened.
04:31I don't think anything was too bad.
04:33Hopefully, nothing comes out of it.
04:35Except really good games in the future between these two organizations.
04:41♪