From Douala to the Raptors: Koloko following in Siakam’s footsteps

TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO – Christian Koloko will never forget his first NBA bucket, even if it technically won’t count.

It was midway through the second quarter of the Raptors’ Oct. 2 preseason opener in Edmonton. Pascal Siakam pulled down a defensive rebound and brought the ball up the court before using a screen from Koloko, Toronto’s 33rd-overall pick in this summer’s draft.

As the rookie centre rolled to the rim, Siakam – the six-year veteran and all-NBA forward – floated a pass over a couple of Utah Jazz defenders and found Koloko for the layup.

The start of the regular season was still a few weeks away, meaning Koloko would need to wait to officially get on the board. But for him, Siakam, and so many others watching those two connect on the play, it was worth so much more than the two points.

“I saw a lot of people posting about it,” said Koloko, who hails from Douala, Cameroon – the same town as Siakam. “People from back home sent me videos and they were just happy, proud. That’s a good moment, a proud moment to be Cameroonian and my first basket in the NBA is assisted by someone from the same city as me.”

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Situated on the southeastern shore of the Wouri River on the Atlantic Ocean coast, Douala is the largest city in Cameroon, with a population of roughly three million. It’s also the country’s economic capital.

Koloko comes from a big, tight-knit family. As the youngest of five siblings, he’s always had four protective older sisters looking out for him.

“Growing up in Douala was amazing. I really miss it,” said Koloko, who hasn’t been back home since he left to attend high school in the United States in 2017. “It was really nice. Just coming back from school and dropping your backpack at