Editing Christian Koloko

{{short description|Cameroonian basketball player (born 2000)}}
{{Redirect|Koloko|the French dancer|Éric Koloko}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Christian Koloko
| image = File:Christian Koloko.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Koloko with [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]] in 2021
| position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| height_ft = 7
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 230
| league =
| team = Free agent
| number = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|6|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Douala]], Cameroon
| high_school = * [[Birmingham High School|Birmingham]]<br>([[Lake Balboa, Los Angeles|Lake Balboa, California]])
* [[Sierra Canyon School|Sierra Canyon]]<br>([[Chatsworth, Los Angeles|Chatsworth, California]])
| college = [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]] (2019–2022)
| draft_year = 2022
| draft_round = 2
| draft_pick = 33
| draft_team = [[Toronto Raptors]]
| career_start = 2022
| career_end = 
| years1 = {{nbay|2022|start}}–{{nbay|2023|end}}
| team1 = [[Toronto Raptors]]
| years2 = [[2022–23 NBA G League season|2023]]
| team2 = →[[Raptors 905]]
| highlights = 
* First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-12]] (2022)
* [[Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year|Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year]] (2022)
* [[Pac-12]] Most Improved Player (2022)
* Pac-12 All-Defensive Team (2022)
}}
'''Christian Junior Koloko''' (born 20 June 2000) is a Cameroonian professional [[basketball]] player who last played for the [[Toronto Raptors]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). He played [[college basketball]] for the [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona Wildcats]]. He was named first-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-12]] and was voted the [[Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year|Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year]] after his junior season.

==High school career==
Koloko is a native of [[Douala]], Cameroon and attended Collège Libermann in his hometown.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ngon |first=Yvan |title=Christian Koloko, révélation Camerounaise enviée en NBA |url=https://cameroonvoice.com/sport/2020/03/07/christian-koloko-revelation-camerounaise-enviee-en-nba/ |website=Cameroonvoice |access-date=23 November 2021 |language=fr |date=7 March 2020}}</ref> He grew up playing [[association football|football]] and started playing basketball at age 12.<ref name=holmes>{{cite web |last=Holmes |first=C. J. |title=Christian Koloko is ‘still a baby in this game,’ but Arizona is pleased with the freshman’s steady progress |url=https://theathletic.com/1455900/2019/12/13/christian-koloko-is-still-a-baby-in-this-game-but-arizona-is-pleased-with-the-freshmans-steady-progress/ |website=[[The Athletic]] |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=13 December 2019}}</ref> In 2017, Koloko moved to the United States to play basketball for [[Birmingham High School]] in [[Lake Balboa, Los Angeles|Lake Balboa, California]] as a junior, despite not speaking English at first.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pascoe |first=Bruce |title=Seen and heard: Christian Koloko, still adapting to life in US, has Arizona on his radar |url=https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/seen-and-heard-christian-koloko-still-adapting-to-life-in-us-has-arizona-on-his/collection_60ca9daa-921f-11e8-b169-3ffb2fb49abc.html#3 |website=[[Arizona Daily Star]] |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=27 July 2018}}</ref> For his senior season, he transferred to [[Sierra Canyon School]] in [[Chatsworth, Los Angeles|Chatsworth, California]], where he was teammates with [[Cassius Stanley]], [[Kenyon Martin Jr.]] and [[Scotty Pippen Jr.|Scotty Pippen Jr]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Kelapire |first=Ryan |title=Arizona block machine Christian Koloko wants to show he’s more than a project |url=https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2020/1/8/21056227/christian-koloko-arizona-wildcats-basketball-block-depth-chart-project-freshman |website=Arizona Desert Swarm |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=8 January 2020}}</ref> Koloko helped his team claim its second straight Open Division state title.<ref name=holmes/> A four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]] over offers from [[California Golden Bears men's basketball|California]], [[Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball|Northwestern]], [[Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball|Vanderbilt]], [[Harvard Crimson men's basketball|Harvard]] and [[Princeton Tigers men's basketball|Princeton]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Pascoe |first=Bruce |title=From Cameroon to Cats: Arizona gets commitment from 6-foot-10 Christian Koloko |url=https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/from-cameroon-to-cats-arizona-gets-commitment-from-6-foot-10-christian-koloko/article_19ecd5a3-22b0-5601-b79d-da7661a407ce.html |website=[[Arizona Daily Star]] |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=23 September 2018}}</ref>

==College career==
As a freshman at Arizona, Koloko averaged 2.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |last=Moreno |first=Matt |title=Offseason limitations could slow development for Arizona's Christian Koloko |url=https://arizona.rivals.com/news/offseason-limitations-could-slow-development-for-arizona-s-christian-koloko |website=GOAZCATS |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=11 May 2020}}</ref> In his sophomore season, he averaged 5.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hutchison |first=Troy |title=Arizona center Christian Koloko named Pac-12 Player of the Week |url=https://arizona.rivals.com/news/arizona-center-christian-koloko-named-pac-12-player-of-the-week |website=GOAZCATS |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=23 November 2021}}</ref> On 21 November 2021, Koloko posted a career-high 22 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in an 80–62 win over fourth-ranked [[2021–22 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team|Michigan]] at the [[Roman Main Event]] title game, earning tournament MVP honors.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Brian J. |title=Christian Koloko outplays Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson as Arizona cruises past Wolverines |url=https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2021/11/21/22795837/arizona-wildcats-christian-koloko-mens-basketball-michigan-wolverines-2021-hunter-dickinson-vegas |website=Arizona Desert Swarm |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=21 November 2021}}</ref> As a junior, he was named [[Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year|Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year]], [[Pac-12]] Most Improved Player, and first-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-12]].<ref name=P12Awards>{{cite press release|url=https://pac-12.com/news/2022/3/8/2021-22-pac-12-mens-basketball-all-conference-honors-and-annual-performance.aspx|title=2021-22 Pac-12 Men's Basketball All-Conference honors and Annual Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva|publisher=[[Pac-12 Conference]] |date=March 8, 2022 |access-date=March 8, 2022}}</ref>

On 18 April 2022, Koloko declared for the [[2022 NBA draft]], forgoing his remaining college eligibility. On June 23 2022 he was picked by the Toronto Raptors in the 2nd round. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-18 |title=Arizona junior Christian Koloko declares for 2022 NBA draft |url=https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2022/04/18/arizona-christian-koloko-2022-nba-draft/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=The Rookie Wire |language=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-18 |title=Arizona C Christian Koloko declares for 2022 NBA Draft |url=https://arizonasports.com/story/3090027/arizona-christian-koloko-declares-for-2022-nba-draft/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Arizona Sports |language=}}</ref>

== Professional career ==

===Toronto Raptors (2022–2024)===
Koloko was selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the [[Toronto Raptors]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Raptors pick Christian Koloko with 33rd pick|url=https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-raptors-christian-koloko-nba-draft-no-33-pick-1.1817025|website=TSN.ca|agency=The Canadian Press|date=23 June 2022|access-date=24 June 2022}}</ref> On 26 August 2022, Koloko signed a rookie-scale contract with the Raptors.<ref>{{cite web |last=Beloso |first=M. |date=26 August 2022 |title=RAPTORS SIGN SECOND ROUND PICK KOLOKO |url=https://www.nba.com/raptors/news/raptors-sign-second-round-pick-koloko |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=NBA.com}}</ref> On 17 January 2024, Koloko was waived by the Raptors.<ref>{{cite web|title=RAPTORS COMPLETE TRADE WITH INDIANA|url=https://www.nba.com/raptors/news/raptors-complete-trade-with-indiana-2|website=NBA.com|date=17 January 2024|access-date=18 January 2024}}</ref> A day later, he was put into NBA's Fitness-to-Play panel due to discovering career-threatening blood clot issues, meaning no teams can claim waiver to sign him until he is medically cleared to play.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-19 |title=Raptors prez: Koloko's status 'in hands of NBA' |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39339008 |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend}}

===NBA===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2022}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2022–23 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| 58 || 19 || 13.8 || .480 || .083 || .627 || 2.9 || .5 || .4 || 1.0 || 3.1
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 58 || 19 || 13.8 || .480 || .083 || .627 || 2.9 || .5 || .4 || 1.0 || 3.1
{{S-end}}

===College===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2019–20]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2019–20 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team|Arizona]]
| 28 || 0 || 8.3 || .483 || .000 || .350 || 2.4 || .2 || .3 || .9 || 2.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2020–21]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2020–21 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team|Arizona]]
| 26 || 19 || 17.3 || .520 || .000 || .625 || 4.8 || .3 || .5 || 1.3 || 5.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2021–22]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2021–22 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team|Arizona]]
| '''37''' || '''37''' || '''25.4''' || '''.635''' || .000 || '''.735''' || '''7.3''' || '''1.4''' || '''.8''' || '''2.8''' || '''12.6'''
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 91 || 56 || 17.9 || .590 || .000 || .670 || 5.1 || .7 || .5 || 1.8 || 7.3
{{S-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/christian-koloko/12915 Arizona Wildcats bio]

{{2022 NBA draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koloko, Christian}}
[[Category:2000 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Birmingham High School alumni]]
[[Category:Cameroonian expatriate basketball people in Canada]]
[[Category:Cameroonian expatriate basketball people in the United States]]
[[Category:Cameroonian men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
[[Category:NBA players from Cameroon]]
[[Category:Raptors 905 players]]
[[Category:Sierra Canyon School alumni]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Douala]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors draft picks]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors players]]