Clint Capela Bio
Clint N’Dumba Capela (born May 18, 1994) is a Swiss professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing around 116 kilograms, he plays the center position and is widely respected for his rebounding and shot-blocking abilities. He is the highest-earning team athlete in Switzerland’s history.
Selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets, Capela has spent most of his career as a rim protector and interior finisher. His career field goal accuracy ranks among the highest in NBA history, and he led the league in rebounding during the 2020-21 season while playing for the Atlanta Hawks. He has also represented the Swiss national team in international competition.
Early Life and Background
Clint N’Dumba Capela was born in Geneva, Switzerland, to an Angolan father and a Congolese mother. His parents separated a few months after his birth, and his mother raised him and his brothers on her own. Parts of his childhood were spent in foster care, which shaped his resilience and strong family bonds.
As a child, Capela initially favored soccer, but his unusual height drew him toward basketball. By age 13, he already stood 1.90 meters tall, and his brother encouraged him to try the sport. After meeting Swiss basketball icon Thabo Sefolosha, Capela became increasingly passionate about the game. At 15, he was spotted at the European Junior Championships with the Swiss national team and was offered a place at the INSEP training center near Paris, France.
Path to Basketball
Capela’s rapid growth and athletic frame quickly set him apart in European youth basketball. His performance at the European Junior Championships caught the attention of scouts from across the continent, leading to his placement at INSEP. The move gave him access to elite coaching, strength training, and high-level competition, accelerating his development as a mobile, defensive-minded center.
In 2012, at age 18, Capela joined the senior Élan Chalon team in France’s top professional league, the LNB Pro A. He spent two seasons developing his game, learning the professional rhythm, and refining his pick-and-roll instincts. His strong final season in France earned him the league’s Best Young Player and Most Improved Player honors in 2013-14, confirming his readiness for the NBA.
Clint Capela Career
Early Career (2012-2014)
During his time with Élan Chalon in the LNB Pro A, Capela showed steady growth as a young center. He relied on his length, mobility, and timing to protect the rim while finishing efficiently around the basket. By his second season, he had become one of the most talked-about young big men in European basketball.
In April 2014, Capela represented the World Team at the Nike Hoop Summit, showcasing his skills against top American high school prospects. Later that month, he declared for the 2014 NBA draft. In May 2014, he was named both the Pro A Best Young Player and Most Improved Player of the 2013-14 season, capping a transformative two-year run in France.
Houston Rockets (2014-2020)
The Houston Rockets selected Clint Capela with the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, and he signed his first NBA contract on July 25, 2014. His rookie year was brief but promising, highlighted by his first NBA points on March 30, 2015, against the Toronto Raptors. He also spent time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, where he was named to the 2015 NBA D-League All-Defensive First Team.
Capela’s breakout came in 2017-18, when he started all 74 games he appeared in and posted career highs of 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.85 blocks per game. He led the NBA in field goal percentage at .653 and finished second in total blocks, earning runner-up honors for the NBA Most Improved Player Award. That summer, he signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Rockets, cementing his role as the franchise’s long-term anchor in the paint.
Atlanta Hawks (2020-2025)
On February 5, 2020, the Rockets traded Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a four-team, 12-player deal. After the 2019-20 season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he made his Hawks debut on December 28, 2020, posting seven points, nine rebounds, and two blocks in a win over the Detroit Pistons. On January 22, 2021, he recorded his first career triple-double with 13 points, 19 rebounds, and a career-high 10 blocks against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Capela led the NBA in rebounding during the 2020-21 season, averaging a career-best 14.3 boards per game, and helped the Hawks surge to the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, he scored the go-ahead basket with 29.8 seconds left and grabbed 19 rebounds. He remained a steady interior presence in subsequent seasons, anchoring Atlanta’s defense and ranking among the league’s top rebounders.
Houston Rockets (2025-Present)
On July 6, 2025, Capela signed a three-year, $21.5 million contract to return to the Houston Rockets as part of a complex seven-team sign-and-trade. The agreement runs through the 2027-28 season, with an annual salary of $21.5 million, signaling the Rockets’ confidence in his defensive value and veteran leadership.
Returning to the franchise where he began his NBA career, Capela reunited with the organization that drafted him and brought back championship-caliber experience. His return added size, rim protection, and playoff poise to a young Rockets roster looking to climb the Western Conference standings.
Notable Events and Milestones
Capela’s milestone moments include his first NBA points in March 2015, his first career triple-double in January 2021, and his first 20-point, 20-rebound game in February 2018 against the Denver Nuggets. He became the youngest Rocket since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1985 to record at least 23 points and 25 rebounds in a single game. He also led the NBA in rebounding in 2020-21 and in field goal percentage in 2017-18.
Clint Capela Career Wins
Clint Capela has built a reputation as one of the NBA’s most efficient interior players, though his on-court achievements have primarily come in the form of individual statistical milestones and team success rather than major championship titles. Across his time with the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks, he has been a key contributor on teams that reached the Western Conference Finals, the Eastern Conference Finals, and multiple playoff appearances.
NBA Highlights
In the NBA, Capela led the league in rebounding during the 2020-21 season and in field goal percentage during the 2017-18 season. He finished as runner-up for the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2017-18 and earned NBA D-League All-Defensive First Team honors in 2015. His career field goal percentage of 62.1 percent ranks as the fourth highest in NBA history.
European and National Team Performances
In France’s LNB Pro A, Capela was named both Best Young Player and Most Improved Player of the 2013-14 season with Élan Chalon. In August 2013, he debuted for the Swiss national team during the FIBA EuroBasket 2015 qualification rounds, becoming one of the most prominent Swiss basketball figures of his generation.
Clint Capela Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Clint N’Dumba Capela was raised by his Congolese mother after his parents separated when he was an infant. His Angolan father was not a regular presence in his upbringing, and he grew up alongside his brothers in Geneva. His early family circumstances, including time spent in foster care, helped shape his disciplined and grounded personality.
Personal Life
Capela’s older brother played an important role in guiding him toward basketball when his height set him apart as a teenager. His encounter with Thabo Sefolosha proved pivotal in his decision to pursue the sport professionally. Off the court, Capela is recognized as Switzerland’s highest-earning team athlete, a reflection of his status as the country’s most prominent basketball export.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks a homecoming for Clint Capela, who rejoined the Houston Rockets on a three-year, $21.5 million deal in July 2025. With the Rockets continuing their rebuild around a young core, Capela’s veteran presence and rim protection are expected to play a stabilizing role. His familiarity with the organization and its system gives him an opportunity to contribute quickly from training camp onward.
Throughout the 2025-26 campaign, Capela’s main responsibilities include anchoring the defense, controlling the glass, and finishing lobs in the pick-and-roll. His elite shot-blocking timing and offensive rebounding instincts make him a complementary fit next to the Rockets’ developing frontcourt players. Coaches are expected to manage his minutes carefully given his age and workload history.
Looking ahead, Capela’s contract runs through the 2027-28 season, giving Houston long-term stability at the center position. If he can maintain his rebounding averages and stay healthy, his return could accelerate the Rockets’ push toward playoff contention in the Western Conference.