Interestingly, Pope compared the Magic s desire to win the championship with the Thunder s desire to win the championship

Kentavius ​​Caldwell-Pop compares the Orlando Magic's desire to win the championship with the rise of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

veteran guard Kentavius ​​Caldwell-Pope believes the Orlando Magic have the foundation and mindset they need to compete for the championship - he made it clear that winning the championship for the University of Central Florida is his priority.

In the latest episode of DH12 "On the Basketball" hosted by newly elected Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, Caldwell Pope reviewed his goals with the Magic and compared the Orlando Magic's trajectory to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is currently in the Western Conference Finals.

"I want to do something you have the chance to do and should do, but I want to bring something like this to Orlando," Caldwell Pope said, referring to the experience Howard nearly won the championship when he played for the Magic in 2009.

Caldwell Pope, 32, joined the Orlando Magic before the 2024-25 season and signed a three-year, $66 million contract to provide championship experience and defensive leadership to the Magic's young core players. The two-time NBA champion has played a key role in the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers’ respective championship journeys. However, his first season in Orlando was cast in shadow due to player injuries.

Magic were forced to deal with long-term absences from key players including Paul Bancello, Franz Wagner, Jaylen Sages and Moritz Wagner – the latter two players missed the season due to injuries. Despite the setback, the Orlando Magic ended up ending the regular season with a record of 41 wins and 41 losses, winning the Southeast Division championship for the second consecutive season, and entering the playoffs for the second consecutive year, eventually losing to the Boston Celtics in five games.

Kentavius ​​Caldwell Pope readily accepted the role of team leader and compared the Magic with the Thunder

Caldwell Pope struggled to find a stable rhythm in the new role, averaging 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals, with a shooting percentage of 43.9% and a three-point shooting percentage of 34.2%. Still, his experience and leadership are precious for a team focused on internal growth and playoff development.

In the podcast, Howard joked: "Man, if you bring some chips to Orlando, they'll give you a statue of Iverson." Caldwell Pope smiled and explained that helping Orlando build something meaningful was a key factor in his free agent decision. He mentioned that the Oklahoma City Thunder — the same young and rising team — currently leads the Timberwolves 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals.

"It's like the reason I joined this team," he said. "They are young and fighting spirit, they are ready. As long as we all work together." In addition to providing a championship perspective, Caldwell Pope said his goal is to help young teammates focus on long-term development and opportunities.

"The young players we have, man, they're really great," he said. "Like I kept telling them, don't be angry, man, this is an opportunity, you have to wait. They haven't seen hope yet... relax because the more angry you are, the easier it is to get out of the situation."

Orlando Magic are preparing for the offseason, which management calls the offseason "win in the moment", and Caldwell Pope's veteran look will remain at the heart of the effort -- both on the court and in the locker room.