Quickly, one would think to hear the story of Pascal Siakam repeating itself in Toronto. And Koloko, a 22-year-old pivot, would like that to be the case, in a sense, he who in turn wants to prove to Africans that nothing is impossible for them.
The new Raptors rookie spoke to Toronto reporters for the first time by videoconference on Friday.
[Pascal] means everything to Douala. He is the first person from Douala to play in the NBA. He’s an NBA champion. He’s been to the All-Star Game and is on All-Star Teams, he said. He showed people like me that anything is possible.
Koloko also vividly remembers the speech given by Siakam, a Raptors first-round pick in 2016, 27th overall, when he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player at the league’s end-of-season gala. Silver in 2019. He said, like Nelson Mandela, that everything seems impossible until it is done. And he did.
The main interested party discovered basketball at the age of 12. He didn’t play it though only once a week or even every two weeks
since soccer was his first love and the most popular sport in Cameroon. Then he went through a major growth spurt and focused more on the sport which led him to camp. Basketball Without Borders of the NBA where he appeared on the Raptors’ radar for the first time.
I think I realized that the NBA was a potential target when I moved to South Africa in 2017. I had the chance to compete against the best young people in Africa and ended up in the national team. ‘stars. I think it’s the first time I saw that if I keep working I will have the opportunity to reach a good level and the NBA will be a goal that I can achieve in fact
he pointed out.
” I started playing basketball quite late, but I believe my potential is limitless. »
That same year, Koloko packed up to continue his development in a secondary school in the United States. He then joined his sister Stephanie who lived in Los Angeles. Then, he became a member of the University of Arizona Wildcats with whom he played for three seasons in the NCAA.
At the end of his senior year, the 216cm (7’1), 230lb (102kg) center was named the PAC-12 Association’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Improved Player and a first-team player. of stars. He has emerged as one of the best defensive players in the American college network.
Even when I was in college, it was already a lot for me. To reach the NBA now is surreal. I will take advantage of it and continue to improve myself to show that we can do what we want if we put our minds to it.
he confided.
The new Raptors player also seemed particularly grateful during his call with Masai Ujiri following his selection Thursday evening. The exchange was shared by the Raptors on social media.
It’s true that I thought I was going to go out in the first round, but it didn’t happen. And when my agent told me I wasn’t making it to the first round, it was just Toronto. I wanted Toronto, just Toronto. And when he called me and said it was done, it was Toronto, I was so happy. To tell the truth, I think Toronto is the best place for me
he said.
Masai means a lot to me. What he is trying to do for basketball in Africa is huge
he added.
In Toronto, Koloko will join not only Masai Ujiri and Pascal Siakam as Africans, but also OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa, both of Nigerian origin.
It means a lot to me [de rejoindre les Raptors] because African basketball is growing […] Playing with them, I think it will help me a lot
he said.
” I thanked [les Raptors] to believe in me because since the camp in 2017, they follow me closely. I developed a very good relationship with the Masai and [les Raptors] have always shown me love. And so, having them draft me like that means everything to me. I will always be grateful to them and I will give them everything I have. »
Growing up, Koloko idolized Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets. That’s why I wear number 35
, he says. However, he looks to the best pivots in the NBA as inspiration for his development, namely Rudy Gobert for his ability to protect the basket, Draymond Green for his communication skills, then in attack, he looks to Joël Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, among others.
The 22-year-old Cameroonian has no specific goals for his first professional season. He just wants to be the best version of himself. If it means I’m rookie of the year [dans la NBA] or that I come to reinforce the bench to play with energy, that’s fine with me. I want to fulfill the role that the team will give me.
Koloko celebrated being selected by Toronto with his family in Los Angeles on Thursday night. His parents, uncles and aunts made the trip to the United States to be with him, he who has not returned to Cameroon since 2017 because of his student visa.
This visa has also prevented him from visiting Toronto so far, but he confided that he was looking forward to finally discovering the Queen City of which he had heard many good things.
On a funnier note, Koloko said he has only seen snow once in his life. He will dedicate part of his first check in the NBA to the purchase of a winter coat.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca