NBA Draft 2018 Rumors: What Can NBA Teams Expect from Villanova Wildcats' Donte DiVincenzo?
DiVincenzo recently made the decision to remain in this year's draft pool
Donte DiVincenzo is not the typical NBA draft prospect.
He wasn't a one-and-done player with the Villanova Wildcats, and it actually took him a while before he became a fixture in the team's rotation.
DiVincenzo eventually became a solid contributor off the bench for the Wildcats, but before his college basketball career ended, he showed that he can chip in more than a few baskets as well.
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DiVincenzo saved his best performance for what turned out to be his last game for Villanova, as he caught fire in the championship game against the Michigan Wolverines and helped the Wildcats claim their second NCAA title in three years.
Now, DiVincenzo is looking to bring his competitive fire to the NBA.
The 21-year-old guard confirmed that he will be staying in the prospect pool for this year's NBA draft in a post on Instagram.
The decision makes sense for DiVincenzo, as many mock drafts have him going in the first round, albeit as someone taken in the 20s. Still, it's hard to pass up on the opportunity to receive a guaranteed NBA contract.
So now that DiVincenzo is indeed remaining in the draft, what kind of player can a team interested in selecting him expect to get?
For much of his college career, DiVincenzo specialized in bringing instant offense and energy off the bench. He'll likely be expected to do the same thing when he reaches the NBA given where he's being projected to go in the draft.
Still, things will be different in the NBA for DiVincenzo as it's not enough to bring energy or to try really hard to score. If a player wants to be a good scorer in the NBA, he has to have real skills that can be used in the pro game.
According to The Ringer's draft guide, DiVincenzo possesses the ability to score in a variety of ways. He can play off of good ball-handlers and spot up for threes or he can handle the rock himself and launch when he finds some space.
His lack of top-shelf athleticism and quickness will make it a challenge for him to get to the rim consistently, but he's crafty enough that he should still be able to manufacture some close-range opportunities for himself.
On defense, DiVincenzo does not really have the ability to put the clamps on any good scorer, but what he can do is function well within the team scheme and not be a complete liability.
NBA teams should not select DiVincenzo with the expectation that he is suddenly going to turn into a dynamic two-way shooting guard who can start for them because they will likely end up being disappointed.
If a franchise drafts DiVincenzo with the expectation that he can eventually become a role player, or even as a third guard who just comes in and focuses on putting points on the board, then that team will likely be happy with the pick they made.
More news about the 2018 NBA draft prospects should be made available in the near future.
