Donte DiVincenzo’s non-Knicks basketball wish could finally come true

The New York Knicks won’t be represented at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Jalen Brunson had the best chance of any Knick to represent Team USA, but Grant Hill wanted Tyrese Haliburton instead. Rokas Jokubaitis and Lithuania participated in the qualifying tournament but came up short.

Maybe by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics roll around, Knicks fans will have some extra reasons to watch the summer events. Brunson will be 31 and could represent the United States. One of his good buddies could be in LA, too, but for another country.

In February, Donte DiVincenzo told New York Post’s Stefan Bondy that he’d “love” to represent Italy in 2024, but he didn’t think it was possible.

“Ideally, I would love to,” DiVincenzo told The Post. “Logistically and how everything plays out, I don’t know if it’s possible. But if everything works out perfectly, I would love to.”

– Donte DiVincenzo, via NYP

DiVincenzo didn’t play for the Italian national team at the qualifying tournament, where Italy came up short.

After Italy failed to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, Gianni Petrucci, president of the Italian Basketball Federation, said he has big plans for the country’s future. What are those plans? DiVincenzo.

In February, DiVincenzo told New York Post that his process of securing citizenship was “almost done.”

“There’s a few more hoops to jump through,” DiVincenzo told The Post. “But it’s something I told my family, my agent, that I wanted to do — to be able to represent a country. And hopefully I can get all the paperwork done and be out there as soon as possible.”

– Donte DiVincenzo, via NYP

Based on Petrucci’s comment, Italy seems all-in on DiVincenzo. Maybe he’ll be in action for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.

The 27-year-old has three full seasons left on his current contract. He will be a free agent in 2027 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then. Based on how DiVincenzo played in his first season in New York, the front office should have no plans to trade him anytime soon. Hopefully, he’ll help Italy qualify for the next Olympic games and will still be representing the Knicks.