5. Donte DiVincenzo, SG — Villanova
For their Nike home alternate jerseys this season, the Pacers decided to tap into the state’s roots and break out the Hickory High uniforms from the greatest basketball movie ever made.
(Oh, what…I was supposed to say “arguably”? Show be a better basketball movie than Hoosiers and I’ll show you an idiot who doesn’t know anything about classic American cinema. We’re done here.)
No one would have fit in better coming off of Gene Hackman’s bench than the kid who looks like he’s barely old enough to play for the varsity.
Donte DiVincenzo was barely on anyone’s radar going into Final Four weekend. Then the title game happened, during which the 21-year-old kid from Delaware turned into one of the hidden characters from NBA Jam. Some 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting later, this 6’5″ guard became a first round prospect almost overnight.
There are still questions about whether a 21-year-old who scored fewer points in three years of college ball than Trae Young did this season can get much better. Still, he’s interesting enough that the Pacers would be foolish not to take a look.