"Superstars can win me games" - KCP explains why Mitchell and Haliburton aren't superstars
Two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope issued a bold statement about Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton during his recent guest appearance on Jordan McGruder's "Dawg Talk" podcast.
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Caldwell-Pope, who was recently traded from the Orlando Magic to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Desmond Bane deal, said that while Mitchell and Haliburton are the franchise players of their respective teams, they have not yet achieved superstar status.
"No," he responded when asked if he thought Haliburton was a superstar. "I wouldn't even build a team around Donovan Mitchell either. He's a 'superstar,' but superstars can win me games. Can he do that consistently every night? Go out there and try to win me a game? Can he average 25, 8, and 8? Bron did his whole career."
KCP has played with Bron and Joker
Caldwell-Pope has played long enough in the league to know what a superstar player is. When he played for the Los Angeles Lakers, he was a teammate of LeBron James, and they won the 2020 NBA title. After L.A., KCP suited up for the Denver Nuggets and was on the same squad as Nikola Jokic. He won his second title there with the Serbian center.
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Meanwhile, Mitchell has been an All-Star in each of the last six seasons. He's made the playoffs every year in his career but has never led any of his teams past the second round of the playoffs. On the other hand, Haliburton has made the All-NBA third team in each of the last two seasons. He's taken the Pacers to back-to-back ECF appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals this year.
When comparing the two, KCP likes Hali's chances of reaching superstar status. In fact, Tyrese is already on his way there.
"We're talking about getting teams involved, getting players involved, like going out and when my team needs me to win, I'm gonna go get this win. I can't do that with Donovan Mitchell, and I'm 50/50 with Haliburton. Because Haliburton can average 25-8-8. But for me, he's clutch now, but consistently throughout the game. I need you to be consistent with shooting the ball, playmaking, and all that. He's getting there but still inconsistent," KCP added.
Related: "After much consideration, I am now prepared to rule" - When Utah judge ruled Michael Jordan pushed off in his final shot in '98
Hali beat Spida in the Playoffs
Coincidentally, Mitchell and Haliburton faced off in the second round of the 2025 playoffs. Despite having a home-court advantage, Donovan could not lead his Cavaliers against Tyrese's underdog Pacers.
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After Indiana stole Game 1 in Cleveland, they repeated in Game 2 with Haliburton knocking down the game-winning basket. With two points down and time winding down, Hali hit a step-back three-pointer to give the Pacers the 120-119 win. Mitchell had 43 in Game 3 as the Cavs cut the deficit to 1-2. However, the Pacers proved to be too tough for the Cavs as they completed a "Gentleman's Sweep".
Donovan and Tyrese are some of the best players in the NBA today, and one can argue that they are already superstars in their own right. But if we consider Kenatvious' definition, he has a reason to put Hali in a better spot than Spida because Tyrese has been to back-to-back ECFs and Finals, while Donovan has never seen the postseason after the second round.
Related: T-Mac doesn't think Haliburton is a superstar: "He is a really good basketball player on a really good basketball team"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
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