In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green interviews veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell‑Pope (KCP) about his recent signing with the Orlando Magic. The conversation opens with Draymond noting that his show’s draft intel may have helped the Magic select Paolo Banchero, describing Banchero as a generational talent and commenting on the franchise’s historically low spending, exemplified by a recent one‑year, $15 million contract for Jeff Green. Draymond then asks KCP what excites him about joining Orlando. KCP expresses enthusiasm for the young, hungry roster, especially its defensive reputation, praising Jalen Suggs for making the All‑Defensive team and claiming that together they could be the league’s best defensive backcourt. He recounts his own defensive evolution—from a sophomore‑year breakthrough in college to guarding Stephen Curry in Detroit—highlighting film study and a mindset that puts defense first. KCP predicts he and Suggs could earn All‑Defensive honors next season. The discussion shifts to what the Magic need to advance beyond a Game 7 playoff loss, with KCP identifying shooting consistency and added experience as the primary missing pieces, while acknowledging the existing formula of defense and youth. The interview concludes with a brief DraftKings Sportsbook sponsorship read‑out. The overall tone is conversational and upbeat, with KCP showing confidence in his defensive abilities and optimism about Orlando’s future.
Chapters
Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. I actually spoke about this during that draft. They end up drafting Paolo. Everybody was saying they was gonna draft Jabari Smith. I personally thought Paolo should've been the number one pick. They end up taking him. In large part, they was watching the Draymond Green Show, taking my intel. They was high on Jabari.
Good intel.
They took the intel, but hey, they did right. And I think Paulo is one of those generational players that, that organization hasn't been one that's been willing to spend money. They would give a Jeff Green a 1-year, $15 million.
Yeah.
Get somebody else 1-year, $15 million, which pretty much says we gotta cap threshold that we have to reach. So we gonna give you this 1-year deal, but we not really trying to win and we not locking nobody in. And now, You see like, obviously they got the young core, they just extended Franz.
Franz, yep.
But bringing in someone like you says to me that, oh no, oh, they serious now. Like they bringing in the guy who's proven to help lead teams, championship teams, proven leader, two-way guy, knock the shots down, defend the other guys, the other team's best wing player. They ready to win now. What are you, And looking at that situation that you're going into, what are you most excited about, about joining Orlando Magic?
Man, just, I'm just, I'm excited like all around, you know, just to be able to play with a young group of guys that's hungry. You know what I'm saying? That's had a taste of the playoffs. You know what I'm saying? Took Cleveland to a Game 7.
Yeah.
You know, they know what it takes. And like just talking to a few guys, you know, a mindset, you know, is it's about winning, you know, it's not, oh, I'm this guy, I'm that guy. It's just about winning basketball games and then trying to get to that point of winning the championship. But I'm just most excited just to play with them guys on this defensive end, man. They finished top, what, 3 or 5, you know, top defensively. And Suggs, man, he made defensive team. Just them guys, you know, just that length. I'm excited just, man, to see how teams gonna, you know, try to play against this. You know, it's gonna be tough.
You just mentioned Suggs, so, you know, Join Orlando Magic, Suggs is there, who's really good defender. Obviously we know what you capable of. By the way, I must say, I saw you guard when you were in Detroit in particular. And I don't know if you remember this game, it was at the Palace. And then you did it again at Oracle. But I saw you probably guard Steph as good as I've ever seen anyone guard Steph.
Yeah, I remember the game. I remember the one at Oracle too.
Yeah.
Yeah. I remember that one too.
And I was just like, Man, I can't screen this dude. Like, I couldn't believe you guarded him that well.
Yeah.
And that's when I knew like, yo, this dude is different defensively.
But like that didn't even, even like, I didn't even know I had that. You know what I'm saying? Like it clicked my sophomore year in college. Like where my freshman year, I didn't even, I was playing outside of my position. I was playing 3 guard and you know, 2 fouls in college in the first half, you come on, on the bench. Come on over here. Right. That was me like my whole freshman year. So I'm like, man, fuck, I wanna play. You know what I'm saying? I'm tired of sitting over here and something just clicked, you know, next year I'm guarding the best team, you know, like player and I'm actually moving my feet. You know what I'm saying? Stand in front of these guys, get steals. And I've never worked on defense like that. You know what I'm saying? Like it just like something just clicked in my head where like, nah, this is your skill right here. Like this is where you best at. You can score the ball, you know what I'm saying? But like your mindset and how it works, defense works first, then the offense, you know what I'm saying? And I just carried that on, you know, when I got to Detroit, you know, it didn't happen till my second year where like Stan came over. That's when I was guarding the best player every night, you know what I'm saying? And it just got, I just got stronger. I got better at it. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Started learning, watching film, you know what I'm saying? Like, and all that, you know, got ties into it. But like, that didn't happen like just, oh, like it just happened. Like, I don't know what, it just clicked.
So with you now being with the Magic, does that give y'all the best defensive backcourt in the league?
Yeah, I said it in my press conference. Don't be surprised if you see me and Suggs on some all-defense team next year. So. I supposed to made it this year too. You know what I'm saying? But like, I don't know how that works, man.
Well, somebody gotta move over because I wasn't qualified to make it this year. I'm not getting suspended next year.
Of course not.
So I'm gonna make it. So somebody gotta move over. That's all I'm saying. I'm just gonna throw that out there, man.
I mean, a lot of guys on there that I felt like I was, you know, better than, you know, defensively wise, you know, that was on there, you know. First team, you know, that I feel like that was solid. You know who they had up there. But like second team, you gotta at least consider, you know what I'm saying? KCP for sure. You know, KCP do his thing though.
I can dig that. I respect that. Fron just got his extension. Obviously Paulo is next up, gonna break the bank. What do you see? That needs to happen with this team in order for it to take that next step? Like got to Game 7, lost to Cleveland. That's great for a young team. Yeah. But a lot of teams get stuck right there.
Yeah.
What needs to happen with this young team to ultimately take that next step?
I feel like they got the formula already. You know what I'm saying? I feel like they, One of the reasons they bringing me over, I feel like they didn't have a lot of shooting.
Yeah.
You know what I'm saying? Where, you know, you put a lot on, you know, Paulo and Vaughn, you know, to make plays, you know, but you also gotta have guys that gonna be ready to knock down that shot too. And it was like a lot of inexperience as well. You know, they young, you know, it's first time they making it, you know, as a young crew or young core. You know, like I was like surprised they went to game 7, you know, but seeing how they was, the toughness, you know, the effort they gave, man. Like it made it, it made my decision easy, you know what I'm saying, to come to Orlando, you know. And they wanted me just as bad as, you know what I'm saying, I wanted to be able to join their team, you know, and add what I can add. So like that made it easier for like me to make my decision. Yeah. But like, I'm excited about these guys. Like, they just— they got the formula, just need it, you know what I'm saying? Like I said, just shooting, I would say. Just watching, like, them watching through the playoffs.
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