Donte DiVincenzo downplayed the verbal exchange with Rick Brunson

Oct 14, 2024 3:10 PM

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo had a brief verbal altercation with New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson during his return to New York on Sunday, as reported by Chris Herring of ESPN and James L. Edwards III and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

The exchange took place after the game, during the customary handshake line when players and coaches were exiting the court. Although the encounter drew attention, DiVincenzo quickly downplayed it when addressing reporters later, portraying it as nothing significant.

“Just some words. I don’t fully know what was said. A lot of people there,” DiVincenzo explained, per The Athletic. “But I really have no comment on the situation. We’re both grown men and can talk about it privately.”

Knicks star Jalen Brunson, the son of Rick Brunson, also brushed off the situation, saying, “Two people talking,” and adding with a laugh, “Words of affirmation.”

Earlier in the game, DiVincenzo was seen speaking to the Knicks’ bench while preparing for a free throw in the first quarter. DiVincenzo later clarified that he was sharing an inside joke with Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.

However, according to sources from The Athletic, some of DiVincenzo’s comments were directed at Rick Brunson, with one remark believed to be, “That’s what happens when they let you run the show.”

Despite the exchange, DiVincenzo chose not to dwell on the incident, emphasizing that whatever was said could be handled privately between the two men.

The brief encounter added a small layer of drama to DiVincenzo’s return to New York, where he played last season with the Knicks, but both parties seemed intent on moving past it quickly.