Report: Toe injury flare-up forces Donte DiVincenzo out of Italy plans

News out of Italy suggests that DiVincenzo was cleared to resume training on July 21 only to feel discomfort in his big toe days later.

May 20, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game one of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Donte DiVincenzo appear to have aggravated the turf toe injury that knocked him out of the Timberwolves lineup for about six weeks last season — and the injury will prevent him from playing for the Italian national team this summer.

"Unfortunately, I'm sorry, I will not be able to join the national team this summer due to a physical issue over the last few days forced me to make this difficult, difficult decision," DiVincenzo said in a video to fans. "But my goal remains the same, and it remains with the journey of Italian basketball going forward with World Cup, and the Olympics — and for a very long time. I just wanted to show my commitment, send my best of luck to the team, and see you all soon."

According to Sportando, Italian national team coordinator Gigi Datome said the Timberwolves guard suffered a "recurrence of a physical problem." The injury appears to be related to his big toe, which he sprained (known as turf toe) on Jan. 15 last season. The injury kept him out of the lineup until late February.

“Donte DiVincenzo has suffered a recurrence of a physical problem," Datome said at a press conference, according to Sportando. "Specialists are talking about weeks of rest and recovery, so he won’t be available in time."

Datome said the national team received clearance from the "franchise" (presumably the Timberwolves) that DiVincenzo could resume training on July 21, but he "felt discomfort in his big toe" between July 22-23.

"We set a deadline yesterday, and according to doctors and specialists, we were talking about three to four months of therapy, so it wasn’t possible," Datome said. "He sent the video to show that we were on the same page. That’s how it went."

The report about DiVincenzo needing 3-4 months of therapy is clouded because 1) We don't know if that's medical advice the Timberwolves are following, and 2) The report indicates that the Wolves cleared DiVincenzo to resume training, so the 3-4 months could've been a process that had already started.