Once again the crowd at Madison Square Garden rose to their feet to salute Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo as the Knicks played a tribute video to the former players during New York's preseason matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Back at MSG for the first time since the Knicks dealt the duo to Minnesota in a deal for Karl-Anthony Towns, the pair got a warm ovation from Knicks fans as their service to the club was honored.
And that feeling was mutual.
Speaking to reporters before the game, DiVincenzo took time to thank Knicks fans and show his appreciation for them, after calling reports that he was “unhappy” about his potential role heading into the year as "untrue."
“My love for Knicks fans is through the roof. I’ve said it, like it was one of the best years of my life playing here last year," DiVincenzo said Sunday. "It’s something that you dream about [doing]. I didn’t plan, I didn’t want, I didn’t hope to leave. I didn’t sign a deal here thinking, 'I’m signing a four-year deal, I hope I get traded a year in.' So that’s that part of it.