Clint Capela on Deandre Ayton’s jab: ‘I was surprised’

Two months ago, the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton was frustrated he wasn’t getting the respect he felt he deserved.

After talking to the media following a 21-point, 13-rebound performance against the Magic on Feb. 24, he made an offhanded comment as he walked toward the shower. “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela,” he said. “I’m not no Clint Capela.”

The Lakers’ Deandre Ayton went viral recently after saying, “I’m not no Clint Capela.” NBAE via Getty Images

Funny enough, Ayton is now facing Capela in the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Rockets, which the Lakers lead 1-0 after a 107-98 win in Game 1 on Saturday.  

As for Capela’s thoughts on the jab? 

“I was surprised,” Capela told The California Post. “I don’t know why I’m in someone else’s head. I don’t talk to the guy.”

Capela heard about Ayton’s comment after it went viral in an ESPN story. He responded over Instagram by pointing out that the Lakers center plays alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James, writing, “U got 2 of the best floor general in the game dawg Lockinnn.”

The 31-year-old Capela, who was the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by Houston, has made a career out of being a successful role player. He has transitioned into being a backup vet after signing a three-year, $21.5 million contract with the Rockets in June 2025.

He’s a gifted rebounder, shot blocker and rim protector. During his prime, he was an important piece on a Rockets team that made it to two Western Conference finals in 2015 and 2018. He averaged a double-double over seven seasons, including a league-leading 14.3 rebounds and 15.2 points per game in 2020-21.

“Yeah, I mean for me, in my career, I did what I did for my team, had a lot of success,” Capela told The Post. “So, it worked out for me.”

The Rockets’ Clint Capela (30) has made a 12-season NBA career out of being a blue-collar worker. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Capela is great at what he does. He never tried to be a superstar. He has made a 12-season career out of being a blue-collar worker who’s a reliable rim-running big man. 

That’s not what Ayton wants for himself. 

The 27-year-old Ayton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Suns. He was supposed to become a superstar. Ayton has only lived up to those expectations in moments and has struggled with consistency and maturity throughout his eight-season career. 

Some games, he’s a force on both ends of the court who can effortlessly produce double-doubles. He’s DominAyton. 

Other games, he’s a 7-foot placeholder. 

When the Lakers acquired Ayton on a two-year, $16.6 million contract in July after a buyout from the Trail Blazers, he was hoping to resuscitate his career. His reputation had taken hits for his professionalism during stints with the Suns and Blazers, and he viewed joining the Lakers as a big stage to reinvent himself. 

Ayton has had an up-and-down season, averaging 12.5 points and eight rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game. But things began turning around for him during the Lakers’ recent 16-2 run this spring. His motor was high. He bought into his role. 

“Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” Ayton said March 12. “And, you know, I finally caught up with the team. That’s about it.”

When the Lakers played the Rockets on March 16, Ayton (seven points, 11 rebounds) and Capela (nine points, eight rebounds and two assists) had similar stats. That type of production sufficed for the Lakers back then.

But now, with Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) sidelined indefinitely, the Lakers need him to take his game to another level. 

Ayton responded in Game 1, finishing with 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting, 11 rebounds and one blocked shot in 35 minutes. 

Meanwhile, the Rockets crumbled without Kevin Durant, who was sidelined Saturday after knocking knees with a teammate at practice Wednesday. 

“Nobody can replace KD,” said Capela, who had two points and two rebounds in 11 minutes. “So we did what we did with what we had. And hopefully we can have him for the next one.”

As for Capela, he’s focusing on the task at hand. 

Not on any verbal shots. 

And he’s choosing to take Ayton’s words as a compliment. 

“If people are thinking about me while I’m just doing my thing, I guess it’s a good thing,” Capela told The Post.