[Le Matin] Clint Capela Interview

The Genevois signed a five-year, $ 90 million contract with Houston. He talks about his new status, his doubts and his obligation to be a little less Swiss to succeed.

 

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Spoiler

With a salary of more than 16 million per year (18 with bonuses) over five years, Clint Capela wins more than a Roger Federer on the courts. Just that. "Sometimes it seems unreal to me," says the Genevois. We're talking about Federer, anyway ... "And yet, thanks to four seasons where his progression has been linear, the pivot of Houston has obtained his first big contract in career. From the shy European who apologized for being there, the former junior of Meyrin emancipated to legitimately claim to be part of the caste of the best in the world.

- Clint Capela, how is your summer?

I'm glad I could settle my contractual stories. It was the big file. Otherwise, I take the opportunity to regenerate myself by doing what I want. I played nearly 100 games last season. All days are punctuated by training, video sessions and travel. So getting up in the morning and deciding what to do with my day makes me feel good. I also take the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my friends from Geneva, which I am very close. They are always the ones who come to see me in Houston. So here we reverse the roles. This solid environment allows me to be well focused and to know what I have to do.

- You do not have summer training scheduled for all these weeks?

If, of course. But when I'm in Switzerland, it's the right time to take a vacation. I'm just going to do some maintenance with body weight exercises and weight training. But no balloon. After this period without training, I will return to Houston and resume quietly. I could have mandated a coach Rockets to follow me throughout the summer. But they are guys I see all year long. Sometimes I just want to ask them to leave me alone (laughs) .

- Especially after a complicated end of the season. Have you suffered from some kind of post-elimination depression?

Facing Golden State, we played a final before the time. It was pretty clear that the winner of this semifinal would go to the end. After this seventh game lost at home, I had a difficult night where I did not sleep. It was hard to digest. My relatives were present. We redid the match. But I quickly told myself that we had to move on.

- It's still not so easy to accept to see the title go under your nose as well ...

The first morning after the elimination, it was the most difficult. I was almost waiting for the video session. But the SMS never came. You get up without obligation. A kind of unemployment. At the beginning of my career, it was even harder to live. With experience I learned to say to myself, "Well, well, next year, life goes on." I did not want to overwhelm myself all summer long either. But I still could not watch the final. I did not want to see Golden State win.

- How did you live this last season before renegotiating a contract?

Like nothing ever happened. I just felt very good about myself. Honestly, I did not even think about the salary that could wait for me this summer. Often, NBA guys tend to play differently before a big contract. Some - and I will not give names - do not pass the ball and think only to score. But I understand them. It's not easy and you can think about it a lot. I focused on what I knew how to do. And against Golden State I made sure to show that I could be an important element in a good team of the league. Then, this summer, I had to be patient and wait for the right phone call.

- Ninety million, it can turn the head ...

I'am aware. I have always enjoyed a close circle very solid. I know that it is by being well surrounded that we make the right decisions. One thing is certain, I will not change because I signed a big contract. Count on me.

- Do you feel differently in Switzerland?

Yes. From year to year, it evolves. I'm always getting more congratulations and encouragement. It's something that gives me a lot of strength when I'm in Houston. I do not forget where I left. When I come back to Switzerland, the recognition of my work is something that does me a lot of good. It helps me stay disciplined and work hard. Throughout my career, I thought of Switzerland. At each stage, even in Chalon-sur-Saône, I hoped that, in my country, one notices my progress. During my first games in the NBA, I had flashbacks of the kid who was reading the "20 minutes" on the bus and dreaming of the exploits of Thabo Sefolosha. At my first dunk in Toronto, the whole room did "Wow!", I just said, "Here we go." And secretly, I was hoping that in Switzerland we would see him(laughs) .

- From Switzerland, we see in you an increasingly dominant player. And you, how do you see the one you are becoming?

I am aware that my intensity is hard to contain for my opponents. The matches where I was most dominant is when I played on my qualities. Overall, my whole career has been reflected in maximizing my strengths. The better I control them, the more dominant I will be in the field, and the higher my value will be. If the Houston Rockets have decided to bet on me, it's because the leaders believe in my ability to exploit my qualities.

- That has not always been your case?

No. When I was young, I wanted to do everything. Dribbling, being a playmaker, shooter. All. I quickly noticed that by wanting to be good on everything and versatile, you become average in all aspects of the game. NBA teams want specialists with a real dominant. If you do not have one, you can only become an average player. Me, my qualities are to bring energy, run and dunker. That's how I can dominate a game. The weak points, you obviously work them. But with a little less intensity.

- What does Thabo Sefolosha represent in your career?

He represents the player I wanted to be when I was little. He was the only one I could identify with, as he was the only NBA Swiss. Seeing that a fellow countryman could do it, it made me dream. He had gone through Chalon-sur-Saone, so I thought I'd like to do the same. One day, a recruiter supervised me. After a conclusive test, I was able to join the same training center as Thabo. He even came to give us advice. I was too intimidated to dare to talk to him (laughs) . Then, at 18, I started playing in EuroLeague, the best European level. There, I told myself that the NBA was no longer impossible to achieve.

- And here you are a few years later to be driven by a legend such as Hakeem Olajuwon! You seem to have a special relationship with him ...

Since my first year in Houston, he has taken me under his wing. We made a lot of 1 against 1. I guarantee you that he still plays squarely well at basketball, at 55 years old. He is a mentor for me. I can see that he looks at me differently from other players. He always gave me advice on my movements. Does he recognize himself in me? You have to ask him. But it's not easy to reproduce his famous "fade away". Well, he started at 28 years old. I have some margin. But if I start moving away from the basket to shoot, I'll go straight to three points (laughs) .

- In four years in the United States, how were you most surprised?

The mentality of the Americans. Everyone always says he's the best. Arriving in Houston, it was the hardest for me because I have always been someone very humble and reserved. There, as soon as a guy puts you a basket, he taunts you. But little by little, I thought to myself that by evolving in NBA, one has the right to consider itself as one of the best and to become a little arrogant.

- Have you become so?

It took me a long time. Even today, it is not obvious. I am Swiss (laughs) . I can not change who I am. But rubbing shoulders with people with this winning mentality helped me a lot to become a bit more arrogant. Sure of me, too. I'm starting to enjoy some stupid things, like doing the show after a dunk, for example.

- And do you also consider yourself the best in the world?

Frankly? I felt that once. It was during the last conference final game lost against Golden State. I dunkais, I did the show, I talked to the public. It was an incredible feeling. By dint of stringing the baskets, you feel unstoppable. The best, simply. I started to understand what this extra trust can bring to guys. At first, I did not honestly capture. I wondered who these guys were for. I was very European. I apologized for wanting to be part of their world. Today, I get closer to the state of mind of these guys, even if it is not innate at home.

- Between players, it's mostly a game, these provocations?

In part, yes. But in the United States, I've been taught to have more confidence in myself, even if I think I'm arrogant. I had to accept to be able to release this image and to tell me that what one thought of me was equal. I know that I made the right choices and hardened myself. But honestly, the early days in Houston were hard. Especially when I missed my first sixteen shoots in the NBA. I was going on Twitter and the guys were wondering what I was doing there. "Capela is trash" (Capela is rotten) , "Go back to Switzerland" (In Switzerland). When I read that, I could not fall asleep. Today, it boosts me three times more than I am told that I am bad. I try to find the right balance between this North American arrogance and my humble Switzerland mentality. Because deep down, that's who I am. (nxp)