CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK: OLOWOKANDI'S NAIVE APPROACH COULD WORK.

Byline: Randy Hill

Michael Olowokandi, the son of a Nigerian diplomat, could have a bright future in the family business.

``I'm ecstatic to be here . . . finally,'' he said.

OK, let's study the significance of this statement, issued Saturday to a welcoming posse of L.A.-area reporters.

Is it slick diplomacy, or healthy exuberance from a 23-year-old millionaire who's a bit light on historical perspective?

The ``here'' Olowokandi indirectly referred to was the good ol' Sports Arena, one of the last NBA venues still refusing to go condo. It is home to a long-running, maximum circus known as the Clippers, who - Friday's exhibition result in Inglewood notwithstanding - are exhibiting signs of life, hope for the future.

Ecstatic? Yeah, sounds like he means it.

Olowokandi, selected by the Clippers with the very first pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, represents 7-feet and 269 pounds - give or take a forkful of lasagna - of that future.

But in his world, the future has been moving at warp speed.

``I do want to help right away,'' said Olowokandi, who, in three seasons at the University of Pacific, went from project to king of the draft.

By now, the rest of the story should be familiar. He signed a pro contract with a team in Italy one day before the NBA lockout was settled.

``If I had to do it again,'' he said, ``I'd probably do it that way again.''

He participated in six games for his European team, but a clause in Olowokandi's contract that allowed for an escape to the NBA meant he wouldn't be given a starring role. News reports were filed from Italy declaring the NBA's top pick was something of a buster.

And now, he's a Clipper.

So what does Olowokandi think of his European adventure and the attending criticism?

``I'm glad I went,'' he said in a diplomatic tone. ``The people were very nice. The game itself was different than I was used to here. The paint (key area) is somewhat wider; it has this triangle shape to it. And the players are more crafty in terms of fouling.''

Given the circumstances and a healthy apprenticeship in upcoming Clippers practices, Olowokandi should be crafty enough to contribute in a few weeks, right?

``I hope I won't be on the sidelines too much,'' he said.

``It's going to take time,'' said Clippers first-year coach Chris Ford. ``But we do have to get him ready as quickly as we can. He's a bright young man. I think he'll pick things up quickly. It's good that he wants to contribute right away. That's better than having a guy come in and say he doesn't expect to do anything for a month.''

Don't think the idea of speeding around the learning curve is lost on Olowokandi. He watched Friday's 107-76 loss to the Lakers on TV.

``I'm not the only one who's behind,'' he said. ``We have a lot of work to do as a team.''

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PHOTO Clippers coach Chris Ford knows he'll need to latch onto Michael Olowokandi if his team is to do anything this season.

Victoria Arocho/Associated Press