What makes an NBA superstar? In a recent appearance on ‘The Dawg Talk’ podcast, NBA veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope answered that question while giving a harsh reality check to Tyrese Haliburton and Donovan Mitchell. According to KCP, those players are not classified as “superstars” despite being the face of their respective teams.
“No,” said Caldwell-Pope on whether he considers Haliburton a superstar. “And I wouldn’t build a team around Donovan Mitchell, either. He’s a superstar, but superstars can win games. Can you do that consistently every night? Can he average 25, 8, and 8? We’re talking about superstars, guys who elevate teammates and get wins when it matters… we’re talking about getting teams involved, getting players involved, and when my team needs me to win, I’m gonna go and get this win. I can’t do that with Donovan Mitchell, and I’m 50/50 on Haliburton. Haliburton can average 25, 8, and 8, he’s just not consistent with shooting the ball, playmaking, all of that. He’s getting there, but it’s still inconsistent.”
In the modern NBA, many players are capable of putting up big numbers. Whether it’s scoring, rebounding, or playmaking, the NBA is so deep and rich with talent that anyone can come off the bench and have an impact on the game. For Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, however, a superstar must be held to a higher standard.
KCP, like many other fans and players, believes consistency is what sets apart the best of the best. Guys like LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo almost always come through for their teams, and they contribute in more ways than one to the final score of the game.
In the case of Tyrese Haliburton, he doesn’t quite get the nod due to his streaky performances. Despite averaging 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game last season and leading the Pacers to the playoffs, he failed to get the job done and had a few forgettable performances. Like in Game 5 of the Finals, for example, when Haliburton finished with four points in the 11-point loss.
Even worse, after tearing his Achilles in the series, Hali is now set to miss the entire next season to recover his strength. Even at 25 years old, Haliburton’s game will likely never be the same again, and who knows how long it will take Indiana to replicate their 2025 playoff run.
On the other end is Donovan Mitchell, a 6x All-Star who has led the Cavaliers since 2022. With career averages of 24.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, he’s got the stats of an elite shooting guard but doesn’t have the success to match. In his entire career, going back to his days with the Jazz, Mitchell has yet to advance past the second round.
Even after leading the Cavaliers to one of their best records in franchise history (64-18), Mitchell was on track for greatness in Cleveland, but he failed to get the Cavaliers past the first round, and now his team is facing major doubts about their title contention status.
The truth is, for Haliburton and Mitchell to prove themselves as the top modern-day superstars, they’ll need to be more consistent on the floor and step up in the most important moments.
