Donte DiVincenzo Heard the Words Timberwolves Fans Have Been Waiting For
· Yahoo Sports
Donte DiVincenzo already believed his comeback was progressing well. Hearing his surgeon agree gave him something the workouts alone couldn’t provide.
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In a new video released by the Minnesota Timberwolves, DiVincenzo visits orthopedic surgeon Dr. Martin O’Malley for an assessment of his recovery from a torn right Achilles tendon. The conversation offers encouragement for a guard determined to play this season.
“We can easily say you’re on schedule, if not certainly ahead of schedule with your strength and all your numbers,” O’Malley told him. The discussion then turns to returning to basketball.
“When this happened, the goal was to be back for this season,” O’Malley said. “That’s not even a question.”
Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) works around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesThere is no announced return date. O’Malley emphasizes that the decision involves DiVincenzo and the team, with particular importance placed on when the guard feels ready and normal again. Still, the appointment gave DiVincenzo reassurance that his own assessment of his progress matched what his doctor was seeing.
“This visit was a little bit more of just confirmation and confidence,” DiVincenzo explained.
He described leaving with greater freedom to approach his next workout, trust his Achilles and move without constantly thinking about the injury. That is a meaningful development in a recovery he describes as being as much a mental challenge as a physical one.
“I think half rehab is just a mental battle,” DiVincenzo said.
Getting permission to progress, he explained, helps remove some of the fear attached to asking more of his body. He can push himself with greater confidence because the medical feedback supports how he feels.
“Basically, his words match how I’m feeling,” he said.
The optimism builds on a goal DiVincenzo established well before this latest update. In Jon Krawczynski’s October 5 report for The Athletic, he made clear that he was preparing to play during the 2026-27 season.
Apr 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) celebrates after defeating the Denver Nuggets during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images“I wouldn’t come in here with the mindset of I’m gonna play next year,” DiVincenzo said then. “No, the mindset is to play this year.”
Krawczynski also reported that DiVincenzo had a target date in mind but wasn’t ready to disclose it. The new video does not reveal that date, either. What it does show is how DiVincenzo is approaching the work between appointments. The recovery includes adjusting the demands of individual days, building confidence in basketball movements and remaining connected to the teammates he intends to rejoin.
That last part matters to both the player and his surgeon. O’Malley stresses the mental benefit of being around the team. DiVincenzo describes making himself available when teammates need to talk or vent, while also studying games from a different perspective.
Watching from the sideline has helped him understand more of what coaches see. He hopes that broader view will carry over when he returns. For now, he wants his presence to feel familiar.
“The only thing I’m not doing is playing, and that’s how everybody’s been treating me,” DiVincenzo said. “And that’s how I’ve been carrying myself.”
Minnesota has reason to value that connection. Anthony Edwards’ knee surgery has increased the demands on LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu and the rest of the backcourt. DiVincenzo’s eventual return would give Chris Finch another experienced guard who can shoot, move the ball and defend.
His own vision for fitting into the reshaped roster is straightforward.
“These guys are so damn talented that when I do come back, I can just plug and play and try to take them to another level,” he said.
The Wolves still have to wait for that contribution. Encouraging strength measurements and growing confidence are steps toward a return, rather than clearance to play.
But DiVincenzo now has medical reassurance behind the belief he has carried through rehab. His goal remains the same. The work is giving him more reason to trust it.
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