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Hardwood Paroxysm: 7 young players we’re excited to watch in 2015-16

By HP Basketball Network

Dec 9, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) drives the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Anthony Morrow (2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 9, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) drives the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Anthony Morrow (2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) dunks as Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) looks on in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) dunks as Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) looks on in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Excited for Clint Capela

Kevin Yeung (@KevinHFY) — Hardwood Paroxysm

The more we watch of talented young players making their way to the NBA, the more we have to hold ourselves back from anointing them as the next great. College ball is just college ball, or Summer League is just Summer League. Anthony Bennetts and Josh Selbys of prospecting past remind us not to bail on the rational take again, because the NBA is fickle with the players it accepts. But the whole fun of rookies and sophomores and Summer League standouts comes from our wildest hopes and dreams, so never mind all of that. Clint Capela is my reprieve from ho-hum reality again; Clint Capela is going to be AMAZING.

We saw Capela for about 200 minutes with the Houston Rockets last season. In that regard, he’s a blank page, which is one of the best forms that someone with his physical characteristics – 6’11” with a 7’5” wingspan and skyscraping explosiveness – can take. As far as we care, all he has to his name are a few garbage time appearances (don’t care), some hack-a-Capela in the playoffs (whatever, he can fix that later) and a 15-minute personal dunk reel/DraftExpress scouting video. I know which one I’m going off for my color-inside-the-lines sketch.

It doesn’t take much to believe in Capela. We’ve seen this player before, whether as Tyson Chandler, Brandan Wright or Rudy Gobert. His NBA job should be easy, at least in comparison to the mantle awaiting types like Marcus Smart or D’Angelo Russell. Backtracking a bit, the nuances of rim protection and elite rim-rolling have eluded players before – John Henson is still trying to figure it out heading into Year 4. But when you watch grainy come-up footage of Capela, it’s so easy to buy in. Hand-picked moments of greatness like this soaring bird-pooping of Patrick Patterson are the stuff of our uncurbed and overexcited imagination.

Part of the magic of NBA unknowns is just that. With guys that have logged thousands of NBA minutes, or worse, none at all, we have to face facts with their reality. Anthony Bennett will probably never be a good NBA player, and Josh Selby will probably never be in the NBA again. (Summer League is dead to me.) But Clint Capela is neither guy, and damnit, I believe again. With Josh Smith gone, the fourth big man slot on the Rockets’ depth chart is open. Capela is going to dominate next season.

Next: Jabari Parker

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