The Toronto Raptors used the No. 33 pick to select Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Welcome to the family, @kolokojunior1#WeTheNorth | #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/jRYKzRQaUg
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 24, 2022
Koloko, 22, impressed in his junior season with the Wildcats, averaging 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in 37 games. He was named a member of the All-Pac-12 first team.
The big man, who stands 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-5.25 wingspan, should provide much-needed rim protection for a Raptors team that lacked a traditional center for much of the 2021-22 campaign. He's also showcased an ability to finish efficiently around the rim with a 63.5% field-goal percentage on 7.8 attempts per game.
"If he protects the rim as well as I think he does, it gives you a chance to be even more aggressive out on the wings and try to be even more turnover-driven," Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said of Koloko's potential as a rim-protector, according to Sportsnet's Michael Grange.
Koloko coincidentally is from the same hometown as fellow Cameroonian and new Raptors teammate Pascal Siakam, who was also born in Douala.
