Sixers draft profile: Donte DiVincenzo
By AJ Iezzi
Strengths
Donte DiVincenzo has plus-athleticism at the shooting guard position. He registered the highest vertical at the Draft Combine with a maximum vertical of 42 inches. DiVincenzo has big-time upper body strength, which allows him to play tight on defenders and finish through contact. He has broad shoulders, giving him a bigger frame than most two-guards. In college you can frequently see DiVincenzo trying to put weaker players on his back. If you are weaker than DiVincenzo and can read the name on the back of his jersey, you’re probably toast.
DiVincenzo’s physical profile allows him to be an outstanding rebounder. He is as good a backcourt rebounder as there is in the entire draft class.
He had zero business pulling down some of those boards. DiVincenzo’s motor is best highlighted by his propensity to snag rebounds from players much bigger than him. Villanova had an outstanding rebounding guard in Josh Hart, and DiVincenzo filled his role seamlessly.
Hoisting up just over five attempts per game, Donte DiVincenzo shot 40 percent from deep last season. DiVincenzo has zero problem finding his shot from three. He shoots the ball with confidence. It’s not a lofty, irrational Nick Young confidence. He can shoot off the hop, off the catch, and doesn’t get intimidated by a hand in his face. In the video above, DiVincenzo was dropping bombs. He has the range to be a reliable shooter at the next level. Tankathon projects his NBA three-point percentage at 36.5 percent.
Defense is where DiVincenzo can establish his role as a sparkplug. DiVincenzo has the grit and strength to take his matchup body-to-body. He averaged 1.1 steals per game last season. DiVincenzo’s speed bodes well for playing passing lanes. He’s also a sneaky good shot-blocker. He only registered eight blocks this season, but DiVincenzo is capable of emphatic rejections.