SAN FRANCISCO -- Donte DiVincenzo isn't new to winning. He led his high school team to two straight state titles before winning two national championships at Villanova. In his third year as a pro, he held onto the Larry O'Brien Trophy as an NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks.
But some celebrations have been sweeter than others.
DiVincenzo played in nine games for Villanova before a broken foot wiped out the rest of his true freshman year. He had to watch while his teammates went ballistic after Kris Jenkins' buzzer-beating 3-pointer took down UNC in the national championship game. Two years later, it was DiVincenzo's time on the biggest stage and he came through, scoring 31 points against Jordan Poole's Michigan Wolverines in the title game.
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He was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and skyrocketed up draft boards throughout March Madness. And now he finds himself on an oddly similar timeline in the NBA.
After solely coming off the bench as a rookie, DiVincenzo started 24 games in his second season for the Bucks. Before Year 3, he was named Milwaukee's starting shooting guard and enjoyed his breakout as a complete player. Once again, his season ended short while his teammates showered in all the glory. An ankle dislocation in the third game of the playoffs sidelined him for the rest of his 2021 campaign and lingered into last season as well.
Does that give him extra motivation? Will there be an added layer of inspiration Tuesday night watching his new Warriors teammates celebrate getting their championship rings at Chase Center before the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers?
Damn right.
Golden State Warriors
"I mean, for sure," DiVincenzo said Monday. "I look back at my college days and the same thing happened to me in college. My first championship I was a part of, I was hurt. I didn't get to play. That was just fuel to my fire to try and get back. Two years later, we ended up being champions again.
"It's no different at the NBA level. You just don't get that many chances. There's a lot of Hall of Fame players that never won a ring. For me just being a part of that championship team, obviously it's fuel to my fire just to add to this team.
"They already have the blueprint. Really for me it's just to help with whatever needs help."
The 25-year-old guard only played 42 games last season -- 17 with the Bucks and 25 after being traded to the Sacramento Kings. He made his return to the court on Christmas but aggravated his ankle injury three games into his comeback. It was a long but short season for him.
Not being a part of the playoffs was new to him too. The Bucks extended their season in each of his first three years there. Being a spectator from afar was agonizing.
At this point, he's counting down the seconds until Steve Kerr calls his name to play in his first regular-season game with the Warriors.
"I've had a long offseason, so as excited as I am for those guys to get their ring, I'm so eager to just get on the court and play," DiVincenzo said. "I've had a long offseason, and for them it's been so quick. I think there's two different types of feelings.
"I'm just super eager to get on the court, but I'm so excited for guys like [Jonathan Kuminga], [James Wiseman] and [Moses Moody] to get their rings."
This past offseason, DiVincenzo entered free agency for the first time. The former first-round pick was supposed to be up for a big payday. That wasn't the case.
With his ankle injury slowing him to what was a down year last season, DiVincenzo still was around when he should have already been swooped up on the open market. He's a proven winner, a versatile player and a top-notch athlete.
The Warriors jumped at the opportunity to bring him to San Francisco, signing DiVincenzo to a two-year, $9.3 million contract. The second year comes with a player option, putting the future in his hands.
"First and foremost, I don't think you join an organization just for that short term," DiVincenzo said. "Whenever you join an organization you have long-term plans to be a part of the family. For me, obviously seeing Jordan and [Andrew Wiggins] sign their extensions, that's motivation for me. But also my focus is not that.
"My focus is coming in and getting my body to the best it's been, which it is, and helping this team win games. I didn't make the playoffs last year and the year before I got hurt. My goal is to be a factor in the playoffs on a winning team. That's my focus right now, and the rest will take care of itself."
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Though he only has been here a few months, DiVincenzo feels at home -- on and off the court. From the culture the Warriors have created, even with it being fractured recently, DiVincenzo's comfortability level is far past being the new guy. Systematically, this is the most homely the hardwood has been since playing under Kerr's good friend Jay Wright at Villanova.
What he showed in the preseason is the latest Warrior who should set himself up for more money next summer. In the meantime, it's all about winning. That starts the second after Golden State's ring celebration wraps up, putting last season's Warriors and this season's squad on a quest for an even bigger party a year from now.