New York Knicks coach addresses Donte DiVincenzo showdown

New York Knicks star Josh Hart wasted no time in making “Take Your Dad to Work” awkward on the “Roommates Show” podcast.

The web series hosted by Hart, Jalen Brunson and mutual friend/entrepreneur Matt Hillman invited the captain’s father and Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson onto the program for their latest showcase. Heart immediately jumped to the sticky subject of the elder Brunson’s confrontation with Donte DiVincenzo, another good friend and former Villanova Wildcat.

“So you don’t want to put Donte in your clutches?” Hart asked bluntly, earning a big laugh from Rick.

The incident in question occurred last month when the Knicks took on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the preseason. It was the first meeting between the two teams since a high-profile deal sent DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to the Midwest in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. DiVincenzoin a somewhat tongue-in-cheek way, he messed with the Knicks’ bench all night, leading to a post-game confrontation with Rick, who appreciated Hart’s “icebreaker.”

“First of all, as you know, he’s family, man, so I thought it was blown out of proportion,” Rick Brunson said. “But we could have handled it, or I could have handled it in a better way. I know you, I know him. I know Mikal (Bridges), obviously Jalen, I know where you guys are coming from. I just wanted to know. ” make sure we all act accordingly. I thought, myself included, that we didn’t do the right thing.’

‘But it’s over. We talked the next day. It’s all good.’

This isn’t the first time the incident has been referenced on the “Roommates Show,” as Jalen, who was forced to play peacemaker between his father and boyfriend, expressed his desire to see it handled “much better.”

In a bit of classic Brunson maneuver, Rick turned the tables on Hart, vaguely referencing an incident in a Sacramento “ballroom” during the latter’s first games with the team in 2023. Rick reiterated that it was “all good” between himself and DiVincenzo . who is still invited to the Brunson family’s Thanksgiving dinner.

Through 12 games with the Timberwolves, DiVincenzo is averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 assists, though he is shooting just 30.6 percent from beyond three-point range. He and the Brunsons will be able to exchange holiday greetings on Dec. 19, when the two sides meet for the first of two regular season meetings at Target Center.

Meanwhile, the Knicks face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night in Mahattan (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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