Jack Sikma helping Rockets rookie Capela with Vipers

http://www.themonitor.com/sports/ho...cle_cab4b0cc-b3ff-11e4-8b40-23896dee5eb2.html

(The link includes video highlights of Capela.)

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Posted: Friday, February 13, 2015 10:13 pm

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

HIDALGO — The Houston Rockets’ pet project this season has been the development of 2014 first-round draft pick Clint Capela, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center.

The Rockets have kept a close eye on Capela as he has spent much of this season with the Vipers in the NBA D-League. They’ve gone as far as to have the Switzerland product work exclusively with Jack Sikma, a 14-year NBA veteran (1977-1991) and seven-time NBA All-Star who spent the last 11 years as an NBA assistant coach.

Sikma, 59, was looking toward this season as a sabbatical after Rick Adelman, whose staff Sikma was on in Minnesota since 2011, left the Timberwolves after the 2013-14 campaign. But in visiting training camps in October, Sikma was approached by Rockets Executive VP of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas about joining Houston as an independent consultant and college scout.

“The key connection is I played and coached bigs in the league for a long time and they felt I could be an asset down here on an ongoing basis for Clint,” said Sikma, a 6-foot-11 center who was an NBA champion with the 1979 Seattle SuperSonics and is awaiting his opportunity to return to an NBA bench.

Since then, Sikma, who coached four seasons under Adelman with the Rockets from 2007-2011, has worked 7-8 days each of the last three months visiting the Valley to work with Capela, helping establish a plan for the 20-year-old.

That plan started with making sure Capela’s court time consisted of quality minutes — being “engaged in the play,” as Sikma called it — as he recovered from a preseason groin injury. That has come to fruition, as Capela’s restriction on minutes has grown from 15 in November to 30 this month.

“With Clint, and everyone agrees and this is coming from up top, it’s just really important for him to play 5-on-5 at some level where it’s competitive,” Sikma said. “He missed a lot of time with injury and he’s not real experienced to begin with.”

Capela has emerged from bit player to averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in 21.9 minutes in 23 games.

“Last year, I was in France and working with someone like Jack was like a dream,” Capela said. “Now that I’m with him, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can. I’m feeling better and better.”

Sikma points to a game-winning play Capela made last week against the Texas Legends in which he sprinted the court after a Legends turnover, read the defense and found an opening to receive a pass for an alley-oop lay-in with 3.4 seconds remaining.

“That’s a play that I’m not sure he makes early in the season; a play like that doesn’t come from individual practice,” said Sikma, who likens Capela’s raw physical ability to the Dallas Mavericks’ Tyson Chandler. “It comes from 5-on-5 experience, when you’re used to getting to your spot and knowing when you’re a threat.”

Capela has many positives. His footwork and hands are good, he has a quick second jump and he has established himself as a defensive presence.

“The big thing with Clint moving forward is developing core strength,” Sikma said. “He’s long, but he’s not very wide in ability to hold position. He’s got narrow hips. The post game will take a while.”

Capela is also being told to communicate more, and that was evident last Sunday in the Vipers’ game against Texas. Capela barked out screens on defense and vocally worked teammates through situations.

It is something that was absent earlier this season and has taken time to develop. French is Capela’s first language.

“I’ve got to keep talking,” Capela said. “That’s the most important thing. English is my second language, so it’s tough. Sometimes I can’t understand everything, but it comes with improvement. I need to do it.”

Second-year Vipers coach Nevada Smith has welcomed Sikma’s influence with open arms.

Smith said he has seen vast improvement in Capela’s face-up game, a popular trait of Sikma’s when he was a player. Sikma has also been a boon for a young coaching staff that includes assistant coaches Chris Johnson and Jason Young, both in their first year as coaches on the professional level.

“Jack’s the best. He’s just got so much to give,” Smith said. “We don’t have that experience in our locker room. We have a young staff, so to have a guy who’s been through a lot definitely helps us out.”

The important thing, Sikma said, is everybody, from the top of the Rockets on down through the Vipers, “is pulling on the same rope.”

“Clint’s exactly what they hoped this relationship with the D-League would help them do, which is develop a young player under their control, their style of play,” Sikma said. “The key thing for a young player is you’ve got to be better tomorrow than you are today.”

dsilva@themonitor.com