CATCH A RISING STAR
Capela’s improvement year by year indicates potential for productivity that can outpace any early predictions
In his rookie season four years ago, Clint Capela played in 12 games and spent the majority of his time on the court with the Rockets trying to find his way.
Full of talent and potential, Capela needed to learn game speed and stamina.
On Saturday night, Capela started in his 13th game of the season for the Rockets.
He finished with seven points and 14 rebounds in 34 minutes as the Rockets cruised to a 111-96 win over Memphis.
He showed great defensive improvement against one of the league’s most physical teams.
Mike D’Antoni said the first half on Saturday was possibly the best he’d seen Capela play. He has come a long way. Capela continues to climb toward his ceiling, and the Rockets are benefiting from it.
He headed into Saturday’s game against Memphis on a high note.
Two nights before, the Rockets defeated Cleveland 117-113 after a lob from James Harden to Capela sealed the win in the final seconds of the game. That night, Capela played 31 minutes. And the final few were as good as the first ones.
If you want to measure his growth as an NBA player, that’s a key.
A couple of years ago, even last season, Capela playing more than 30 minutes per outing was a stretch.
Playing well for that amount of time was even more unheard of.
Now, it’s starting to become commonplace.
And it’s exactly the thing that can propel Capela.
It’s easy to see the progress. Capela has steadily improved each season, making jumps in every major stats category. He also has gained weight, become a better defender, found his footing.
If his growth is any indication of what he can become in the next couple of years, he’s going to live up to a hefty prediction by his coach.
D’Antoni recently told ESPN he believes it’s only a matter of time before Capela becomes one of if not the best center in the NBA. It’s bold statement, but a smart one. On Thursday, Capela finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
At that point, he had scored in double digits in 10 of 12 games and had doubledoubles in seven.
“He’s 23 years old,” D’Antoni said. “There’s no reason he won’t keep getting better.”
That’s the plan for the 6-11 former soccer player from Switzerland.
He didn’t start playing basketball until he was around 13in his native Geneva.
Up to that point, it was all soccer all the time.
Early in his teenage years, though, he’d cleared 6 feet, was extremely athletic and gave basketball a shot.
He knew immediately that this sport was different, and it was one he could grow into.
Ten years later, he has played all over Europe, was a highly touted draft pick and is now starting — and excelling — in the NBA.
He has had his ups and downs — injuries, bad games, big shots, small victories — and has handled each really well.
Capela is quiet and works hard. He’s constantly watching and learning, determined to improve every time he steps on the court.
That work ethic has caught the attention of his teammates over the past couple of seasons.
During last year’s playoff run, Nene said working with Capela was one of his favorite parts of being a Rocket.
“He’s young; he’s hungry,” Nene said. “That’s the kind of player you want to see developing in this league.”
The biggest thing about Capela is the steps he has taken each season.
It’s a must for young players who want longevity in the league to take leaps every season from one level to the next.
Capela has managed to take those leaps each year.
He needed to work on being more physical, so he gained several pounds and spent more time in the weight room.
He needed to be a better free-throw shooter, so he spent hours at the line working on his stroke. He went from .379 from the foul line two seasons ago to .531 last year to .719 this season.
He needed to be able to play more minutes, so he worked on conditioning and stamina, and his ability to be consistent throughout a game is standing out.
He will have to keep going. He still needs to be able to guard the league’s elite centers, like his assignment on Saturday night, Marc Gasol, against whom he did a decent — but not great — job.
Capela is playing well on a team full of star power in Houston right now.
He’s not the best or even the secondbest player on the roster.
But Capela isn’t as good as he is going to be, and that’s what’s intriguing about the young center.
There’s a lot of season left, and Capela has a bigger role than ever.
He is going to have to stay on his steady path of improvement to help the Rockets achieve their lofty goals. He’s off to a good start.