Sports have always been one of the coolest and most sought-after professions by many in the world. The fame has been an attraction to several young men and women, along with the financial compensation that is usually mind-blowing. Therefore, it must have been good news when Donte DiVincenzo announced to his parents that he was pursuing a career in basketball.
Today, he is a professional player for one of the NBA’s most reputable franchises – the Milwaukee Bucks. Donte DiVincenzo has built the career right from his high school days through college and equally groomed a healthy personal life in the process.
Who is Donte DiVincenzo?
If his name suggests Italian roots, that is because he has them. Donte DiVincenzo was born on the 31st of January 1997 in Newark, Delaware, where he began the life journey that has led him to one of the leading teams in the NBA. As the son of parents with a special interest in sports, particularly his father, Donte, at a very early stage in his life, quickly committed to sporting activities.
Right from his middle school, he played soccer, as well as basketball, only choosing to commit squarely to the latter in high school. As a high school student in Salesianum School, he helped his team to two major achievements, winning the state championship twice. It was an early introduction to success that has shaped Donte DiVincenzo’s mentality as a player.
His career in high school helped him to some personal awards such as the 2015 Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association’s Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year. His outstanding displays in high school eventually got him into the Villanova basketball program where he played from 2015 to 2018.
As a college player with the Villanova University Wildcats, Donte DiVincenzo achieved several milestones at a more competitive level. After a slow start to his college basketball career in his first season, he went on to play in 36 games in his second season and 40 games in his last season. During his college career, he played a total of 85 games and averaged 10 points per game with 2.4 assists recorded per game.
Donte’s exploits during his college career earned him the alias Big Ragu by Gus Johnson in sportscasting. Apparently, the name occurred to Johnson due to the young player’s red hair and Italian roots. The nickname emerged on the 29th of January 2017, following a game-winning tip-in, in a match against the University of Virginia.
Through his exploits, he helped Villanova to a national championship victory in 2016 and repeated the feat in 2018 when he earned himself the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award by leading Villanova to another national championship.
His Exploits As A Professional With The NBA
Following a successful career at the college level, Donte DiVincenzo announced his intention to declare for the 2018 NBA draft. He made this announcement on the 19th of April 2018 without even enlisting the services of an agent; this left him with the option of going back to Villanova if he so desired. However, he later took decision to forgo his final two years of college eligibility and opted to remain in the draft, as well as hired the services of an agent.
During the draft procedures, he exhibited the right athleticism any scouting agent would be looking out for. In addition, Donte’s wide range of skills as an excellent shooting guard, his knack to effortlessly dribble, his tough-mindedness, and long-distance shooting range make the young sportsman an asset to any team.
He subsequently joined the Milwaukee Bucks with the 17th overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft. This he accomplished on the 21st of June 2018 when he became the 2nd of four Villanova Wildcats players to be drafted that year. In his first season with the Bucks, Donte DiVincenzo managed to play a total of 26 games for them, averaging 4.9 points per game.
Being his rookie season, and with a career trend of starting slow, Donte DiVincenzo is expected to break out into his element in the second season and help the Bucks to the success that has defined his career through high school and college.
The Newark-born player wears the jersey number 9 for the Milwaukee Bucks, and on the 10th of July 2018, he signed a five-year contract with a starting salary of $2.4 million, making him the 12th highest-paid player on the team.
Who Are the Members of Donte Divincenzo’s Family?
They say how you were raised often determines where you will end up and the story couldn’t be truer for Donte DiVincenzo who was raised by parents John F. DiVincenzo and Kathie DiVincenzo. Donte grew up in an environment that supported his dream and passion for sports and that was why it did not matter much when he decided to quit soccer, his initial interest was to focus on basketball during his developmental phase in high school.
His father is a basketball coach at the middle school level while his mother is a realtor. He was raised along with an older brother named John A. DiVincenzo.
John F. DiVincenzo displayed strong support for his son when he described him as an excellent fit in the Bucks basketball team and would be an asset to them towards fulfilling their aspirations for the championships. Having watched his son grow up, Donte’s dad stated that diving on the floor has always been a normal activity to him and he believes the young basketball player will make a great positive impact on the team.
The Sportsman Has A Simple Love Life
Through his association with basketball, he met his long-time girlfriend, Morgan Calatoni. Their dalliance started since 2016 and they have been together. Donte DiVincenzo’s partner was born in February 1997 and is a cheerleader for Temple University.
The pretty young lady who stole the heart of the Bucks guard is actually a twin. Alongside her twin sister Hannah, she went to Wilson High School. The Easton, Pennsylvania native later proceeded to Temple where she accomplished her college education in 2019 with a major in Early Childhood Education.
What Is His Height And Other Body Statistics?
Although he is still relatively young, Donte has attained a super athletic body-build and can conveniently compete side by side with most of his contemporaries. Besides, his build is considered to be just right for his demanding career.
The Bucks shooting guard may not be the tallest player in the National Basketball Association but he stands at a massive 6 feet 5 inches. His bodyweight of 205 lb or 93 kg is considered proportionate to his great height. Donte’s height is a couple of inches higher than the 6 feet 3 inches minimum required for his position in the NBA and is just right for dunking the ball.
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