He had chosen his path, with the help of his close-knit Italian family, and he vowed to continue following it. At least six of Del Negro's would-be teammates transferred elsewhere just in his first two seasons: Russell Pierre, Walker Lambiotte, Andy Kennedy, Kenny Drummond, Sean Green and John Thompson.īut that never really became an option for Del Negro. In fact, one of Valvano's legacies is of players who came for a short period of time, then headed elsewhere. Why aren't you playing?' Or 'That coach doesn't like you. They are more willing to listen to friends or family who say 'You're better than the other guy. "My father told me 'Vinny, if you are good enough, the coach is going to play you.' " "When I wasn't playing, there is no question that frustration set in," Del Negro says. But he didn't, thanks to his father's advice.
The younger Del Negro may have had the same urge to tell Valvano what his dad screamed at Rupp during that practice when he was demoted from starter to reserve. He walked away from basketball for good, without ever fulfilling the promise that enabled him to twice be the top junior college scorer in the nation. Briefly.Īfter being taken out of the starting lineup a few games into his first season with the Wildcats, he lost his cool with Rupp and his heart for the game. A two-time junior college All-America in the 1950s, Vin Del Negro ended up playing for Adolph Rupp at Kentucky. He had some experiences, and regrets, in basketball. The elder Del Negro was not just a pushy stage dad. The answer – supplied not by Valvano, but by Del Negro's father Vince Del Negro Sr.
VINNY DEL NEGRO HOW TO
But for two-and-a-half years, Del Negro spent as much time on the bench, playing behind Spud Webb, Terry Gannon and McMillan, as he did in Valvano's office, playing darts, eating popcorn and asking the coach for advice on how to improve his game enough to contribute to the Wolfpack program. The first challenge was Valvano, who out-recruited Kentucky to get Del Negro to Raleigh. State's basketball home or his sneakers a permanent place to rest at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which used to be only a few blocks down the road from where Del Negro grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts.ĭel Negro just had to convince everyone else. Maybe the two can be the same.įor Del Negro – who some considered the fifth wheel in Jim Valvano's heralded 1984 recruiting class that included freshmen Chris Washburn, John Thompson and Quentin Jackson and junior college transfer Nate McMillan – there was never any doubt that he was capable of having a career that would earn his jersey a hanger at N.C. – It's hard to say whether Vinny Del Negro had basketball career or lived a morality play. Editor's note: This story was originally published in "Legends of NC State Basketball" (SportsPublishing LLC, © 2004), by Tim Peeler.
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