Raptors select Christian Koloko with No. 33 pick in NBA draft

The Toronto Raptors used the No. 33 pick to select Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.

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.