Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova’s national championship hero, may not be the right fit for the Portland Trail Blazers at pick No. 24.
Although a crucial part of the deep, championship-bound roster, Donte DiVincenzo remained in the shadow of teammates Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges. He averaged 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 29.3 minutes per game.
Then, in the national championship game against Michigan, DiVincenzo made a name for himself. He scored 31 points, the most by a player off the bench in the title game. He also recorded five rebounds, three assists and a major block to stop a potential Michigan run.
That game, combined with season-long consistency and insane athleticism, transformed DiVincenzo into a first round pick overnight.
Portland Trail Blazers
DiVincenzo is projected to go in the late 20s. He will likely be available at 24 for Portland, which expressed interest in Villanova’s championship hero.
From Jason Quick of NBC Sports Northwest, Donte DiVincenzo met with the Blazers at the draft combine.
Based on his combine highlight tape, it’s easy to see why every team in the 20s will schedule a meeting.
The shooting guard creates for himself and is a threat from anywhere on the court. He shot 40% from three and 48% from the field last season.
Using his athleticism, DiVincenzo crashes the offensive glass like Ed Davis. He recorded the combine’s highest vertical leap at 42 inches and demonstrated the extra effort in this video.
As a 6’5″ shooting guard, he also defends extremely well with his length and athleticism.
Guard Rotation
Portland’s guard rotation is set – obviously Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are starters. Behind them, Wade Baldwin should become the primary reserve point guard if Shabazz Napier leaves.
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In the final spot, Pat Connaughton should retain his role as backup shooting guard (if he re-signs).
By staggering Lillard and McCollum, Portland’s reserve guards already play limited minutes. Adding another young, athletic guard like DiVincenzo jams the backcourt.
From his combine performance, DiVincenzo could certainly outperform Connaughton for the 10-15 reserve minutes per game. But the Blazers can address bigger problems with its selection at No. 24.
Drafting a 3-and-D wing fills the backup role for either Al-Farouq Aminu or Maurice Harkless. Also, it adds desperately needed three-point shooting outside of the guard positions.
While DiVincenzo provides the perimeter shooting, he’s too small to do so at forward. With several bigger options available at 24, DiVincenzo doesn’t appear to be the most beneficial pick.
That being said, Quick’s list of players meeting with Portland at the combine is comprised of primarily guards. Maybe Neil Olshey is preparing the team for life without CJ McCollum at the two guard.
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Portland should release more information about the players it plans to work out after the combine ends. DiVincenzo may be on the list, but 3-and-D wings are the better selection at 24.
However, don’t put it past Olshey to double up on positions. In last year’s draft, he took two big men despite already having four established forward/centers.