Society couldn’t be more dizzying: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Dikembe Mutombo, Patrick Ewing. When Clint Capela (26) took off at the end of January, he catapulted himself on a par with the legends of the NBA.
On January 20 and 22, the Atlanta Hawks’ Swiss center grabs 45 rebounds and blocks 15 opposing throws in the two games against Detroit and Minnesota. That sounds like a lot, but in daylight it is absolutely insane: in the history of the NBA, only one person has done it before him. Abdul-Jabbar, 46 years ago (47 rebounds, 17), the man who, for a number of experts, including coaching legend Pat Riley (5 league titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami) is the best basketball player in history. Before Michael Jordan.
“I love what I do and how things are going,” says Capela to BLICK. “I’m enjoying this run.” Of course, in his career he won’t make it to Abdul-Jabbar or Shaq in the all-time top 10 of the NBA. But the man from Geneva proves that today he is a center that can shape a team. As a high performer on the floor, as a leading player alongside. “I’ve never trained someone who could do what they can,” says Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce. “He is great and with every game his self-confidence increases,” said Capela’s boss.
Capela catapults the Atlanta defense into the top 10
Under the basket, the Geneva dominates the league, only Cleveland’s André Drummond has picked more rebounds per game this season, i.e. intercepted balls, than Capela. Last season the Hawks were number 28 (of 30 teams) in defense in the NBA, they are now in the top 10 thanks to Capela, who throws off the attacks under the basket. “He’s our anchor,” says Pierce. In addition, the 2.08 m giant sees himself as a mentor for the younger players. The talented John Collins (23), also a physically strong athlete, he has already taken under his wing and will go to the weight room with him after the games. He tries to be a role model for the mega talent Trae Young (22) with his routines and his reliability.
The popularity of Capela with the new team in his first season after being transferred from Houston can be seen when he is on course for ten blocks in the game against Minnesota. “My colleagues all cheered me on like crazy,” says the Swiss with a broad grin on his face. “They almost went nuts on the bench.” Understandable: «Ten blocks are difficult to get to, if you get the chance you have to grab it. I would have been very annoyed if I had missed it. “
“He has all-star values”
Slowly but surely word of the performances in the league is getting around. “He has all-star values,” says Chris Haynes, NBA reporter at “Yahoo” and host of the “Posted Up” podcast, when he assesses Capela’s performance this season.
Rebounds pro Spiel
1. André Drummond (Cleveland) 14.6
2. Clint Capela (Atlanta) 14.5
3. Rudy Gobert (Utah) 13.4
Offensiv-Rebounds total
1. Clint Capela (Atlanta) 93
2. Mitchell Robinson (New York) 87
3. Enes Kanter (Portland) 86
Efficiency offensive rebounds
1. Enes Kanter (Portland) 17.6%
2. Clint Capela (Atlanta) 17.5%
3. André Drummond (Cleveland) und Steven Adams (New Orleans) 15,5%
Efficiency defensive rebounds
1. André Drummond (Cleveland) 39,5%
2. Clint Capela (Atlanta) 33.7%
3. Enes Kanter (Portland) 32.3%
Blocks per game
1. Myles Turner (Indiana) 3.8
2. Rudy Gobert (Utah) 2.6
3. Clint Capela (Atlanta) 2.3
The Hawks uploaded a video to Instagram summarizing Capela’s strengths. Title: “Reasons why Clint Capela is an All-Star.” It lists: his rebounds, his blocks, the average of over 13 points he scores per game. And: “He’s the best dancer in the league.” It’s funny – and it shows how much they have taken the Swiss in their hearts in Atlanta.
How good are his chances for the All-Star team?
The big question is actually: Will Capela be elected to the All-Star Team? The fans have been able to vote for a few days, their vote counts half, and 25 percent of the votes will come from journalists and NBA players. “I’m confident enough to know what I can do. I want to stay stable and keep showing my performance, ”he says.
He knows: The All-Star election is always a popularity contest. He can only partially influence it.
And there are those, the critics, who complain that Capela has still not acquired a litter from the middle distance that would make it even more difficult to calculate. Capela counters with a smile: “If I get the ball in the middle distance, then I want to go over my opponent. Dunking is a lot more fun. ” And it’s even more spectacular. But the Swiss also know: more options are better. For him and for the team. “I’m working on it,” he says very seriously. “I won’t force anything, but maybe the new litter will come one day.” Then everyone has to be a little more careful, the current opponents and the legends.
The all-star game in the NBA means glitter, glamor and, above all, prestige. Those who are chosen by fans, media and basketball colleagues as worthy to represent their conference have finally made it. He’s one of the big players in the best league in the world.
But what you have to know: The elections for the All-Star-Game are always a small popularity contest. Just elections. And that is Capela’s problem. He is Swiss, did not play at a big basketball university for the college team, only came to the USA in 2014 at the age of 20 and was considered by many observers in Houston to be a beneficiary of the fact that he was allowed to play alongside superstar James Harden.
That he is more than that, he proves in the current season at the latest, his first for the Atlanta Hawks. But who can help Capela to get his rights now? The answer: Roger Federer.
Sounds funny, but it is still a bit serious: The Basel bidder likes basketball (his admiration for Michael Jordan is well documented), as a top athlete he can correctly assess Capela’s performance, the voice of the best tennis player in history carries weight everywhere in the sports world Federer loves to give Swiss athletes a little boost. A small social media campaign by Federer for Capela – and the all-star selection is within reach. Clear case: Roger Federer, take over!
