2023 NBA Finals Preview: Ranking players from SEC

5. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

A pivotal role player, and big shot maker, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been consistently good for the Nuggets this postseason averaging 11.7 points per game, 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 41.1% from three, and 86.4% from the line.

As a 10-year NBA veteran who you hope to rely on night in and night out, Caldwell-Pope has been exactly that.

He has scored in double digits in 10 out of the 15 playoff games this postseason and in those 10 games the Nuggets hold a record of 9-1.

That includes two consecutive games of 21 points, both of which coming in pivotal games. The first being in the closeout game against the Suns, and the other in Game 1 against the Lakers.

College Days

Caldwell-Pope is the only player in these rankings who is not a one-and-done.

Playing two years at Georgia from 2011 to 2013, he earned First-team All-SEC honors his sophomore season as well being crowned SEC Player of the Year.

In his final game he dropped 32 points and 13 rebounds in an SEC tournament loss against LSU.

He was drafted 8th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2013 NBA Draft, and after bouncing around to the Lakers and Wizards, he was traded last offseason to the Nuggets.