Can you count how many Kentavious Caldwell-Pope rings the NBA star has? A veteran of the NBA for more than a decade, Kentavious Tannell Caldwell-Pope has left his mark on the league. Currently a Nuggets guard, Caldwell-Pope’s career has been notable in many ways. As Denver pushes forward for its second consecutive NBA Championship, Caldwell-Pope will be a key figure.
In this piece, you will learn all that there is to know about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. How much Does Kentavious Caldwell-Pope weigh? What about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope rings and what do they look like? We’ll get into his game, being drafted by the Detroit Pistons, and his time with the Denver Nuggets.
But before you move further, check here how to bet on sports in Denver.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a star player even going back to college. The Guard was a four-star prospect when he committed to the University of Georgia for the 2012 season. He made the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2012. The ultimate achievement for Caldwell-Pope in college was as the SEC Player of the Year in 2013 for the University of Georgia.
Come June, he was being taken by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Draft. The Greenville, Georgia native was taken eighth overall in the first round after an outstanding sophomore season. Caldwell-Pope’s career looked promising coming out of the NBA Draft after being one of the nation’s best at Georgia.
That June would kick off a stretch of four seasons with the Pistons. During his time with the team, his career began with promise. In April 2014, he scored a then-career-high 30 points in a loss. He spent time in the NBA Summer League honing his game and became a key player for the Pistons.
Things weren’t great for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in Detroit overall. After four seasons, he was allowed to become a free agent after being suspended for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Thankfully, it would lead the shooting guard to his next NBA stop and his first NBA title.
Breakthrough and First NBA Championship
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would sign a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2017. It was a crossroads in his career and the free agent. The Lakers offered not only a chance to rebound from his arrest but a chance to get his career on track. Even better, it was a chance to compete for an NBA Championship.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had his struggles with the Lakers, especially that first season. He had violated his probation in the summer and struggled with legal issues. Los Angeles allowed him to get straightened out and he proved to be a valuable part of the Lakers that first year.
His second year with the Lakers was also under a one-year deal. His career was hanging on but the Lakers were trying to let him find his game again in the midst of many challenges. Caldwell-Pope helped the team and had one of the best seasons of his career to date. But it would be the 2020 season that would really stand out for Caldwell-Pope and the Lakers.
2020 NBA Championship Run
The Lakers could not have won the NBA Championship without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. In the quest for his first ring, he was a vital part of the championship playoff run. Against the Miami heat, Caldwell-Pope had five straight points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 to help the Lakers pull ahead for good.
Include game 4 of the finals. Fresh off of winning his first NBA championship ring, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope decided to become a free agent. He wound up re-signing with the Lakers in July but would eventually be traded for Russell Westbrook, heading to the Washington Wizards in August 2021, where he would spend just one season before moving to the most important stop of his NBA career.
Second Championship with the Denver Nuggets
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was traded in July 2022 to the Denver Nuggets. He then signed a two-year extension later that month, keeping him with the Denver Nuggets for the foreseeable future. It would be one of the best moves of his career and the Nuggets would not be where they are without him.
He has been with the Denver Nuggets since then and continues to be an integral part of the team this season as well. He already had one ring when he came to town, but his pursuit of diamonds and gold wouldn’t end there.
The 2023 Championship Season
The Denver Nuggets would go on to win their first NBA title, the second NBA championship for Caldwell-Pope. In order to get that second NBA Championship, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, MVP Nikola Jokic – one of the best Nuggets players of all time – and the team would have to go through the aforementioned Miami Heat.
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat made an improbable run to the finals, winning as an eight-seed in the Conference Finals over an exciting Knicks. Miami ran into a buzzsaw when they faced the Nuggets, however.
Caldwell-Pope, in his second NBA Finals, was again impactful against Miami. On the quest for his second NBA title, he had a strong performance. In Game 5, he was vital to the Nuggets cause. They won their first title in NBA history with Caldwell-Pope grabbing the series-clinching rebound.
You can check how the Denver Nuggets odds look going into the NBA Playoffs 2024.
Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Championship Rings
What does Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s championship ring look like? How many rings does he have? We’ll take a look at each of the rings, their relevance to the championship, and more.
Design and Symbolism of KCP’s Rings
Both are beautifully crafted with diamonds encrusting nearly every surface. His name is on the side as well. Rings for the Lakers look a bit different, showing many of their championships right there on the ring. It is a great look into NBA history and something that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will no doubt always remember.
KCP’s Playing Style and Impact
Though Kentavious Caldwell-Pope became a first-round pick because of his offense and shooting, he has since become a defensive specialist. The best way to describe Caldwell-Pope and his style of play is “defense into offense.”
Caldwell-Pope is a tenacious rebounder and showed during the NBA Finals against Miami just how important his impact can be. Despite scoring just 11 points in Game 5, he had an impact in virtually every other aspect of the score sheet. Those are the contributions that the great teams get and the reason why they are there every April, May, and June with deep playoff runs.
He can put up points thanks to his strong shooting, but his rebounding skills are what set him apart. If anything, he could stand to broaden his range as he gets most of his points from the perimeter. With Nikola Jokic in the middle for the Nuggets, the Greenville native doesn’t have a ton of chances to get inside to get those points.
Personal Life and Off-Court Interests
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leads a quiet life. He married his partner McKenzie Redmon in June 2016. He focuses on his career and the games ahead, staying out of the spotlight after a few legal troubles nearly derailed that career during his first two years in the league.
Legacy and Future Prospects
Caldwell-Pope has become an integral part of the Nuggets lineup. Though Nikola Jokic gets all the credit, the team is as good as it is because of role players like Caldwell-Pope. He has spent two successful seasons in Denver and should be there for quite some time.
As of this publication, the Denver Nuggets are one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship. Jokic is a favorite to win his third NBA MVP award and Caldwell-Pope has been very good in his role as a defensive specialist. From contentious beginnings, Caldwell-Pope has managed to find a niche and make the most out of his career.
Winning a second title in just his second season in Denver would be unreal. A third NBA championship would put him in rarified air and his defensive contributions can’t be ignored. He might not rack up the points that many expected when he was drafted eighth overall in 2013, but he has become a vital part of the Nuggets as they chase a second ring.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to score a million points per game and dominate both ends of the floor to win an NBA title. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope goes to show that role players are just as important to the championship efforts of any team in the NBA.
His time with the Nuggets has been arguably his most successful. After two years, he already has a second NBA championship. Can he win a third title this year? April brings on the playoffs but he is gunning for June with the Nuggets.
