Rookie Koloko seizes opportunity in Raptors inaugural win – TSN.ca

TORONTO — As Christian Koloko got back into the dressing room, his phone blew up.

There were too many texts to count, some from numbers he didn’t even know. But, of course, the messages that resonated the most were those from family and friends, many of whom had just watched him make his NBA regular-season debut from home in Douala.

“What time is it [here],” he asked. It was almost 10:30 p.m. in Toronto, almost a half hour after the buzzer rang in the Raptors’ 108-105 opening win over Cleveland.

“Well, it’s 3:30 a.m [in Cameroon].”

Koloko’s first game as a pro was worth staying up for. Not long ago, it would have been hard to imagine the rookie center running much, if at all, so early in the campaign. In general, you don’t see many second-round picks playing vital minutes of rotation for winning teams right out of the gate.

The original plan after Toronto’s 7-foot-33. in the standings was to make it easier for him. They thought he would spend the first few weeks learning at the practice and from the bench. Then, once the G-League season gets underway, he could head to Mississauga and rack up a few reps with the 905 before perhaps being ready to make an impression at the big club later in the year.

But plans can change. The Raptors were missing three veteran players going on the opener, including two Bigs, Chris Boucher and Khem Birch. The Cavs frontcourt is as tough as any in the league, with a couple of elite rim guards in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

While the need for position and the matchup were no doubt considered, Nick Nurse insisted Koloko had earned the right to play with his strong performance at training camp last month. So he told the 22-year-old at Wednesday morning’s shoot to be ready.

“It felt great,” Koloko said after scoring three points and grabbing six rebounds in 15 energetic minutes against Cleveland. “When the coach called my name, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s actually happening.’ I was excited and scared at the same time, but when I walked onto the court, it was basketball. I’m living a dream.”

It wasn’t long before he got the call. Koloko became the second player to come on from Toronto’s bench, checking in midway through the first quarter and just after the team’s sixth man, Precious Achiuwa. He logged 10 minutes in the first half, double Achiuwa’s, and was Nurses bench’s first big early in the second half.

If you’re looking for jitters in the first game, you can point to his two missed dunks early in the night. But for the most part, he didn’t seem out of place. After previously sharing two free throws, his first NBA field goal came in the third quarter — a put-back slam after a missed layup by fellow countryman Pascal Siakam, who assisted his first preseason bucket a few weeks ago. He was credited with one blocked shot – he batted away a layup by Darius Garland shortly after entering the game – but he altered several others with his length.

“Sky is the limit,” said Fred VanVleet afterwards. “He was impressive. He’s getting better every day, every time he steps onto the pitch. He keeps growing and getting better and better. He could be a great asset for us. He needs to get his legs under him, get stronger, get used to the NBA game and the pace and the physicality. He’s definitely a promising young player.”

Koloko gives the Raptors something they haven’t had in a long time. He’s her first seven-footer since Alex Lens’ short tenure, which ended unceremoniously early in the 2020-21 season. He protects the bucket. He can ride rims and be a pick and roll partner for VanVleet and others.

What the team loves about him is that he can do a lot of the things they were lacking in that position while also fitting into their system. He walks well on the ground and while they would prefer him to stay behind and defend the rim, he’s quick enough to move his feet and protect smaller players on the rim.

He not only knows the game but also himself. He has such a keen understanding of what his strengths and weaknesses are at this stage in his career. It’s a rare trait for a young player and a good trait for a rookie trying to carve out a role in this league.

What Koloko keeps coming back to, both from his teammates and coaches, is that he doesn’t make many mistakes on the floor. You don’t normally hear that from young big men, let alone late bloomers.

Koloko, who mainly played football in his youth, only picked up a basketball when he was eleven. At first it was just a hobby, something he did for fun every few weeks. He didn’t start taking it seriously until he was 16, and he didn’t play competitively until he came to the United States and attended high school in California.

During his first two seasons in Arizona, he barely saw a place in college until he broke up as a junior for the Wildcats, averaging 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. He’s come a long way in a short amount of time, which benefits his work ethic and natural feel for the game.

“He doesn’t really seem like a rookie at anything he does,” said Gary Trent Jr. “The way he’s acting, he’s confident on the pitch [and] off the square, walking in town, all sorts of things. He’s super mature, ready, focused. He’s been a good professional so far.”

“I fell like I’m just like that in life in general,” Koloko said. “I take everything seriously. When I’m on the pitch, I’ll do it [fewest] error possible. Even in life, when I was at school and doing a term paper, I tried to get the best possible grade. So I just try to be the best version of myself.”

Siakam assumed Koloko was already nervous ahead of his first game, so he refrained from offering any advice to his compatriot. However, they spoke on Thursday morning. The team held a brief training session at the OVO Athletic Center before flying to Brooklyn. Koloko showed up early and ran into Siakam along the way — not a bad sight for the rookie considering his All-NBA teammate is almost always the first player in the gym. Siakam, who made his pro debut six years ago, told him it’s normal to be nervous but he’s the first one under his belt now and knows what to expect.

What can we expect from Koloko over the course of his rookie season? His role will likely fluctuate. Boucher and Birch are both listed as questionable for Friday’s competition in Brooklyn and should be back at some point during Toronto’s upcoming three-game forecourt-packing road trip.

Koloko could see situational utility in favorable matchups against the league’s bigger and longer teams, but the plan is still for him to make a few trips back and forth from the 905. One way or another, the Raptors want him to play. If he’s not getting consistent minutes with the NBA club, it makes sense for him to dig up some G-League season, as many of his teammates — including Siakam — have done over the years.

But plans can change and Koloko has shown he is ready to seize his opportunity wherever and whenever it presents itself.

“That’s all you need as a beginner; You want people to believe in you, people to trust you when you come on the pitch and I feel like I have that here,” Koloko said. “I just go out there and do whatever the coach wants me to do to help the team. I’m trying not to do too much and I think that will help me.”