LeBron James and Nikola Jokic are usually mentioned as one of the most skilled players the NBA has ever seen. Although they play different positions and possess different physical attributes—one is built like a freight train while the other moves with the grace of a ballerina despite being 7 feet tall—their basketball IQ is off the charts.
One player who had the luxury of playing with the two is 11-year veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope . KCP played with Bron for four seasons on the Los Angeles Lakers, winning an NBA title there in 2020.
He has also shared the floor with "The Joker," playing with the do-it-all center on the Denver Nuggets for two seasons, winning a championship in 2023. On an episode of "The Draymond Green Show," the native of Georgia relayed what it was like to play with the two transcendent talents.
Incredible IQ
KCP said LBJ and Jokic made the game easier with their off-the-charts IQ. They knew how plays would unfold and where their teammates would be long before they got to their spots. And when the time came, all the two-guard and his teammates had to do was line up their shots at the basket.
"What made it so much easier was their basketball IQ. It's out of this world. They both have an all-around game—they can play, joke, shoot, and pass," the 6-foot-5 wing said of the two all-time greats.
KCP didn't average as many points in three seasons with Bron as in Detroit. However, he was efficient, making 44 percent of his shots, including 37 percent from long distance. It was nearly the same story in Denver. With Jokic attracting the bulk of the defense's attention, whether from the low post or the keyhole area, he made opponents pay by converting on 1 percent of his three-point attempts.
"Playing with them made my career great. They were always willing to pass the ball when you were open, no matter what kind of pass it took. If you were open, they'd try to get it to you. All I had to do was be ready to shoot," Kentavious stated.
Related: "He was supposed to ride the sunset out in Denver" - Carmelo Anthony on why it was bittersweet to hear about Billups-Iverson swap
Someone was always going to be open
During his time playing with Bron and Jokic, Caldwell-Pope felt confident that they would get a good shot every trip down the floor. This was because the team trusted their best players to make the right decisions almost always. Whether to shoot the ball themselves or attract the defense long enough to give teammates a clean look, the team had a collective trust that the two All-Stars would make the right play.
"When you have those two guys, they demand attention as soon as they check-in. I just fed off that. I knew those guys were going to draw so much attention, and I was either going to get a wide-open shot or create one because the defense had to move. Someone was always open because they were either doubling those two guys," KCP expressed.
With KCP deciding to leave Denver and sign with the up-and-coming Orlando Magic, he will take the lessons he learned playing alongside LeBron and Jokic with him. He will now have the opportunity to be a leader on a younger team and continue to grow as a player. Additionally, he will bring his sharpshooting skills and defensive prowess to help elevate the Magic's game.
Related: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope says furious chase for No.1 seed doomed the Nuggets last season: "When we got to the playoffs, we had no gas"
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