Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a journeyman who has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows throughout his 12-year career. After a middling start to his tenure in the pros with the Detroit Pistons, KCP joined the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would soon become a vital cog of their championship core. KCP was then traded to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook, where he spent a forgettable season. He later joined the Denver Nuggets and helped them climb the mountaintop for the first time in franchise history.
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Throughout his travels, Caldwell-Pope has had the opportunity to play alongside two former MVPs and future Hall of Famers in LeBron James and Nikola Jokić. KCP played a similar role with both teams, often operating as a three-and-D specialist off passes from his superstar teammates, but that doesn’t mean those stars had the same leadership style.
While LeBron is known for being one of the more outspoken stars when it comes to leading his teammates, KCP explained how Jokić was the opposite. Initially perceived as a timid player when he entered the league, it took some time for Jokić to take his top role by the reins. Today, his leadership is revered by his teammates, but not for the reasons most would expect.
“[Jokić] was good when he did speak,” KCP told Dwight Howard on Above The Rim. “He barely spoke … Like, when he’s mad, and he’s angry, he don’t speak another language but he try to speak our language and try to get his point across. Like when he gets mad, we already know we f***ed up.”
KCP stressed that the three-time MVP isn’t a vocal leader, but rather someone who leads by example. The veteran shooting guard also credited the other older guys he played with, who helped truly bring everything together.
“I already won a championship. I did have DeAndre Jordan at the time, Jeff Green, [and] Ish Smith. I still have some more veteran guys that say they could help me, you know what I’m saying?” the 32-year-old asked his cohosts. “Be vulnerable to these guys. And I think it’s that dynamic we had like there that was pretty good.”
Jokić has never been known to lambast his teammates publicly, usually leaving the yelling to former head coach Michael Malone. But once Malone was canned just weeks before the postseason kicked off, Jokic stepped into a more vocal role. It worked, too, as everyone involved with the franchise believes the Nuggets went further than they would have under Malone.
Former and current teammates of Jokić have grown to appreciate his nonchalant leadership style. But now, in the thick of one of the best careers in NBA history, he may need to continue to be a vocal leader if he hopes to win another championship.
