Deandre Ayton’s comments about Clint Capela set off a week of criticism that has not slowed down. The Los Angeles Lakers center sparked the firestorm after he was overheard saying he was not Clint Capela following a loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Three-time NBA champion Udonis Haslem has now added his voice to the pile.
Udonis Haslem Blasts Deandre Ayton’s Mentality After Viral Clint Capela Comment
Haslem went directly at Ayton on “NBA on Prime” and did not soften the message.
“I understand you might not be Clint Capela, but let me tell you something. That is a losing mentality. If this is what your team needs from you to put them in a position to win a championship, then you have to buy in and play your role,” Haslem said.
The three-time champion with the Miami Heat then pulled from his own experience playing alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
“I played with the big three. The other 12 of us did not have the role we wanted. The only three people that had the role they wanted was them. Everybody else had to fill in the gaps and play a role to help win. You are no different, DeAndre Ayton. Not that guy. Play your damn role and get your ring or not,” Haslem added.
“I played with the Big 3, the other 12 of us did not have the role we wanted.”@ThisIsUD message to Deandre Ayton. pic.twitter.com/xxT7Hwvlsg
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) March 6, 2026
Haslem was not alone. The reaction to Ayton’s comments has been swift and nearly unanimous. Shaquille O’Neal went after Ayton on “ESPN Tip-Off,” making a pointed comparison that cut straight to the issue.
“He is not Clint Capela, because Clint Capela plays hard every game. Clint Capela is a role player. Deandre Ayton is a role player. They’re not going to be on the same team as LeBron and Luka and thinking you’re gonna get shots. … If you just do your job, pick and rebound, and run the court, you can get easy buckets. I wish my career was this easy,” O’Neal said. “You just shut the hell up and do your job, and do it all the time, and do it consistently, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Charles Barkley went further on “Inside the NBA,” bringing up the nickname Ayton gave himself during the 2021 playoffs. “This man out here talking about insulting Clint Capela, then he gives himself a nickname like Dominayton. Dominayton, my a**,” Barkley said.
The timing of Ayton’s original comments made everything worse. The night the ESPN story broke, he posted a minus-24 rating with just two points and four rebounds in 23 minutes as the Lakers lost 113-110 to the Phoenix Suns, a team playing without Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks.
The numbers tell the broader story. Ayton is a career 16-and-10 player who is averaging just 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this season while playing 27.7 minutes per game alongside two of the best playmakers in the league.
He signed a two-year, $16 million deal with Los Angeles last summer on a buyout and has a player option for next season. The Phoenix Suns traded him to Portland in 2023 before the Trail Blazers paid him to leave ahead of this season.
Haslem’s message came from a place of experience. He spent 20 seasons in Miami, winning three championships as a role player who understood exactly what his job was every single night. His point was simple: winning requires everyone to do what is needed, not what they want.
Ayton, the 2018 first overall pick, is still searching for his first ring at 27 years old. The path to one is right in front of him. Whether he takes it is the question.
