Milwaukee Bucks: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards
By Owen Nelson
Rookie of the Year: Donte DiVincenzo
Former Villanova standout Donte DiVincenzo had a meteoric rise after his phenomenal performance in the NCAA championship. The 21-year-old led the Wildcats to a 79-62 victory over Michigan and was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. DiVincenzo recorded 31 points, five rebounds and three assists in the win over the Wolverines.
Prior to the big game, DiVincenzo was seen as a mid-second-rounder but quickly rose to being in the conversation for a lottery pick. DiVincenzo dominated during NBA Draft Combine, looking like a class above the rest of the prospects. The Bucks selected the Delaware native with the 17th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Winning Rookie of the Year seems improbable for DiVincenzo as he will be sitting on the bench, backing up Khris Middleton — one of the best 3-and-D players in the league. If given the opportunity to play big minutes, however, DiVincenzo has shown he can score in bunches and will hustle for every second he’s out on the court. Could we see another Donovan Mitchell-type story? Highly doubtful, but you can’t rule anything out in sports.