Stay or go? Title game hero Donte DiVincenzo’s stock soars even more after NBA draft combine

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CHICAGO — Ask Villanova national title hero Donte DiVincenzo how often he thinks about the game that put him on the map, and he sounds more like a college basketball star driven to make an even bigger name for himself in the NBA than a one-hit wonder who parlayed a Most Outstanding Player performance in the Final Four into unlikely draft attention.

“Never. I'm not one to sit at a table and brag about it," DiVincenzo told reporters at the NBA draft combine. "I view myself as bigger than that one game. I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can be as a player. I’m still growing and learning.”

His attitude wasn’t the only positive attribute on display in Chicago. The 6-foot-5 guard, who unexpectedly catapulted himself into the NBA draft mix after a 31-point performance in Villanova’s national title win over Michigan, did way more to boost his NBA future than hurt it in a scene jam-packed with NBA evaluators.

DiVincenzo's combine performance in scrimmages and in drills has actually moved the Delaware native up to a possible first-round pick. He tied a combine-best 42-inch vertical leap on Thursday — athleticism he also showed off in the national championship game with two leaping blocks and sky-rising dunks. He also fared well in the lane agility drill (10.72 seconds) and three-quarters sprint (3.11 seconds).

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In the process, he silenced any doubt that his breakout performance on college basketball's biggest stage was some type of fluke. Yet he recognized that he likely wouldn't have even tested the waters had it never happened.

"Playing in front of 80,000 people and being able to perform the way I did, that was a (product) of day-in and day-out working," he said. "That breakthrough (in the title game) really set myself up for this."

He was perhaps most impressive at the combine against other NBA hopefuls, where he was burying NBA-range three-pointers with ease, defending well, and making pinpoint passes that highlighted his court vision and playmaking ability. Most notably, however, DiVincenzo played with a hustle and grit that could make him an ideal fit on championship-level teams late in the first round.

"When I go out there, I try to have a chip on my shoulder," he said. "I try to be the hardest worker, try to be the toughest guy, most physical guy. No. 1 because they're not expecting it. No. 2 because that's how I pride myself to be."

DiVincenzo has yet to hire an agent, which means he can still return to Villanova for his junior season in which he'd likely be a preseason All-American and position the Wildcats for another national title.

So while it is more than likely an NBA team would select DiVincenzo come June, the uncertainty at this point is whether Villanova's sixth man — who was on zero mock draft boards before the national championship game in April — will capitalize on his sudden draft momentum or return to coach Jay Wright's squad.

"If I stay in the draft (or go back to 'Nova), this whole process been great and I've been enjoying it," DiVincenzo said. "(Teams) have been trying to figure out more about me. I'm not very well known. Not before all that attention in the (NCAA) tournament. ... After (the national championship game), the outside perspective of me kinda blew up and made (the NBA) a realization for me."

Whether he makes the leap to the pros this summer or next — whenever that is — one certainty is that DiVincenzo won't be lacking in the confidence department.

"Everybody wants to be a first round pick," he said. "My confidence level is that I could be a first-round pick. But just gathering a lot of information. Seeing what teams, how they see me this year — where they see me, where they see me next year...if they feel like an improvement next year is worth going back to school."

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