"IQ is f**king out of this world" - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope lays bare similarities in Nikola Jokic and LeBron James' playing styles
Ahead of his first season with the Orlando Magic, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recently reflected on his time with the Denver Nuggets and LA Lakers. According to the veteran shooting guard, both teams' superstars, Nikola Jokic and LeBron James, share key similarities that helped him flourish and increase his value.
Caldwell-Pope spent four seasons with the Lakers from 2017 to 2021, including three alongside James (2018 to 2021), winning the 2020 NBA championship. During that span, he established himself as one of the league's top 3-and-D role players.
After getting dealt to the Washington Wizards in 2021 and spending one year with the franchise, Caldwell-Pope was shipped to Denver during the 2022 offseason. He played two seasons with the Jokic-led Nuggets (2022 to 2024), capturing his second title in 2023.
Caldwell-Pope played similar roles in LA and Denver as a two-way wing capable of knocking down outside shots and defending opposing teams' top perimeter players.
On "The Draymond Green Show" on Wednesday, Caldwell-Pope touched on his experiences alongside Jokic and James. According to the veteran, he capitalized on both players' ability to draw in defenses and create open shots for teammates.
"You see Bron on the ball, mostly, bringing the ball up. Even though Jok can do the same thing, point five, they demand attention as soon as they check the ball in, and I just fed off that," Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said.
"I knew those guys were gonna have so much attention on them, I was gonna either get a wide-open shot, or we create a wide-open shot. Now the defense has gotta move 'cause somebody is open."
Caldwell-Pope added that Jokic and James also have comparable high-level IQs, which made life easy for him throughout his Denver and LA tenures.
"I don't see a difference between those two," Caldwell-Pope said. "Their IQ is f**king out of this world. For me, what made my career great playing with them, they were willing to pass the ball when you [were] open. All I had to do was be ready to shoot. Kudos to both of those guys, man. They have made my career better later in my years."
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope landed lucrative free agency deal after successful stints with Lakers and Nuggets
As Kentavious Caldwell-Pope noted, his stints with LA and Denver significantly raised his value, making him a hot commodity during this summer's free agency.
Caldwell-Pope cashed in on a three-year, $66 million deal to leave the Nuggets for Orlando. His $22 million-per-year average annual salary marks the highest of his career as he gears up for his 12th season.
He joins an up-and-coming Magic team, headlined by star forward Paolo Banchero, coming off the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2020. So, Caldwell-Pope should bring valuable championship experience and solid 3-and-D wing production to the young squad.
Over 76 games this past season, Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 3-pointers per game, shooting 46.0% and 40.6% from deep.
Also Read: Key member of Denver Nuggets 2023 championship run, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, credits LA Lakers for failed 2024 title defense - “Felt like they should have beat us”