“The people are not always trying to show off what they have” – Clint Capela on why he prefers life in Europe over USA

Playing in the NBA is a dream for a reason.

Beyond pure love for the game, players work hard because they know the money, fame and opportunities a career on the court promises. And once they reach that type of success, they gain a level of comfort and lifestyle they could not have imagined when they first picked up basketball.

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But for Clint Capela, achieving that dream does not necessarily mean staying in the United States when his NBA career ends. In an interview with Andscape in 2018, Capela admitted that he had never fully embraced the American way of life and did not envision doing so once he retired.

“To me here, the mentality is really different,” he said. “I don’t always agree with it.”

Capela wants to return to Europe after his career

Born to a Congolese mother and an Angolan father, Capela grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. Before basketball became his passion, he dreamed of becoming a soccer player, a sport he had played since childhood. That all changed when basketball came along at 13, eventually leading him to pursue it professionally.

In 2014, the Houston Rockets drafted the 6’10” big man with the 25th overall pick. He eventually established himself as a starting center while amassing millions. Capela made over $15 million alone in the 2018-19 season. Now, his career earnings total nearly $140 million, per Spotrac.

Since entering the league, Capela has also suited up for the Atlanta Hawks, giving him more than a decade of experience living and working in the United States. That time has allowed him to experience the lifestyle of a highly paid NBA player. However, it also made him realize that this is not the life he wants after his career. As Ivica Zubac described it, it’s all a big lie, especially in Los Angeles.

Instead, Capela remains drawn to the simplicity of life and the humility of the people of Europe. Whether it’s Switzerland, Spain or France, he knows he would feel at home and at peace as long as he lives on the continent.

“I like the vibe. The people are not always trying to show off what they have or what they wear. They’re just simple people,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a movie star. You’re just simple people at first, and this is something that I really embrace when I go back to Europe. I always have people who keep me to be the same person from Day One.”

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Clint experienced racism in Europe

While Capela sees Europe as his preferred destination after the NBA, ironically, his early experiences there were marked by racism.

In the same Andscape interview, Capela recalled facing discrimination while playing for Switzerland’s under-16 team, an experience that came as he was beginning to establish himself in basketball.

“Every time I was scoring, monkey yells. Oh, my God. Yeah, all the time,” he said. “You’re in their country that is all white people. They are allowed to say that. No one says anything. I’m the only black guy in the gym. I can’t do much about it. It also happens in soccer. They throw bananas.”

However, Capela needed to power through all of those challenges to fulfill his NBA dream.

“It hurts, man. But you got to play. You got a goal, and you have to stay focused on it,” he said. “It really helps me to stay calm, not get angry on what’s happening around me and stuff like that.”

Capela is now 32 and entering his 13th NBA season. While his role has diminished, retirement is still not yet on the horizon. For now, his plans for life in Europe will have to wait a little longer.

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