Former Arizona center Christian Koloko talks with the media prior to be inducted in the Ring of Honor at the Wildcatsβ game Saturday against ASU at McKale Center. As a junior in 2021-22, Koloko was a first-team All-Pac-12 performer, as well as the conferenceβs Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player.
Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) relishes the moment as the time runs off the clock in overtime with the Wildcats ahead 85-80 over the TCU Horned Frogs in second round of the NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena in San Diego on March 20, 2022.
Arizona center Christian Koloko (35) and the Wildcats run the court for a few minutes while getting ready to face off against the Houston Cougars prior to their Sweet 16 game in the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at AT&T Center in San Antonio on March 23, 2022.
Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) dunks home a bucket in the early going over TCU Horned Frogs guard Francisco Farabello (3) during their second round game in the NCAA Tournament, Viejas Arena, San Diego, Calif., March 20, 2022.
Former Arizona center Christian Koloko talks with the media prior to be inducted in the Ring of Honor at the Wildcatsβ game Saturday against ASU at McKale Center. As a junior in 2021-22, Koloko was a first-team All-Pac-12 performer, as well as the conferenceβs Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player.
Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star
Koloko
Christian Koloko, then of the Toronto Raptors, warms up before an NBA matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 19, 2023.
Aaron Gash, Associated Press 2023
Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) dunks home a bucket in the early going over TCU Horned Frogs guard Francisco Farabello (3) during their second round game in the NCAA Tournament, Viejas Arena, San Diego, Calif., March 20, 2022.
Itβs been a bittersweet basketball season for Christian Koloko.
The former Arizona center returned to Tucson for the Wildcatsβ whooping of Arizona State on Saturday and was inducted into the McKale Center Ring of Honor.
βFeels amazing, man,β Koloko said. βI was back here last year in the summer, but tonight it feels amazing to be back here to be inducted into the Ring of Honor. Iβm just happy to be here.β
A Ring of Honor induction or any recognition as one of the top players in program history never crossed Kolokoβs mind upon arrival at Arizona.
βSome place in my head I always had it. But I didnβt know it was going to happen,β Koloko said. βI didnβt know I was going to make it to the NBA. That was my goal and I did everything I could to accomplish that goal. It happened, so Iβm happy.β
The 7-foot Koloko, a Douala, Cameroon, native who moved to Los Angeles in 2017 to pursue a basketball career, was a part of the loaded 2019 recruiting class headlined by five-star point guard Nico Mannion, Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green and Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji, who was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Mannion, Nnaji and Green were among the most productive Wildcats in the 2019-20 season that was cut short due to the pandemic.
Koloko said one of his best memories at McKale was when he missed two free throws with 1.4 seconds left in Arizonaβs 73-72 loss to Oregon as a freshman in 2020.
βFrom that game, it really helped me grow into the player I became,β he said.
Following two seasons with former Arizona head coach Sean Miller, Koloko averaged 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game under Tommy Lloyd as a junior in 2021-22, earning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and Pac-12 Most Improved Player honors. Koloko tied Loren Woodsβ single-season record with 102 blocks during the Wildcatsβ run to the Sweet 16.
βMy confidence, just being out there and not being scared to make mistakes,β Koloko said. βYou learn by making mistakes, so I was just out there playing free, and my teammates trusted me. We had a really good group of guys.β
Added Koloko: βI loved it. Just coming in as a freshman, I didnβt play that much. Just growing. Just growing into the best (player) right now. I loved my time at Arizona, I love the fans, I love everybody here. It was an amazing time.β
Saturday was a night of celebration for Koloko or βC-Lo,β as his teammates and Lloyd call him, and his three-year career with the Wildcats.
It was also the first time Koloko publicly discussed his battle with a career-threatening βrespiratory issue, some blood clotsβ that has kept him from playing his second season in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors. The respiratory illness prevented the former second-round pick from playing in the NBA Summer League this past summer and early parts of this season.
Last month, the Raptors waived Koloko and assigned him to the NBAβs Fitness-to-Play Panel, so heβs unable to practice or play with an NBA team until he is medically cleared.
βHis medical status is now in the hands of the NBA, and I canβt comment on it,β Raptors president Masai Ujiri said of Koloko. βBut thatβs a very tough one for us because he was somebody we really believed in, someone that I know has incredible talent, and we saw as a future on this team. But weβve exhausted all our options there, and I canβt comment on what it is particularly.
βItβs now in the hands of the NBA and I stay private with my comments on him. But itβs really unfortunate for us, because this is a player that we felt was really a big part of our future and someone thatβs part of the programs weβve built in Africa, and what we believe is now a true pipeline of how we get future players in the NBA. This was a big one for us and it didnβt work out that way for now.β
For Koloko, whoβs now back living in L.A., βitβs been really difficult,β but heβs βfeeling good. ... I donβt know when Iβll be back,β he said.
βThis has been the toughest moment of my life,β said Koloko. βIβve never had injuries or anything. This year I was basically out the whole year, so itβs really tough mentally, physically. But I think Iβm built for that and Iβm going to come back stronger. ... Itβs tough, but at some point you gotta realize that you canβt do anything else. Just stay positive and try to recover. ... I just want to go out there and play basketball.β
Koloko said heβs still in the NBAβs Fitness-to-Play program, βbut Iβm progressing,β he said. If Koloko is cleared by the Fitness-to-Play Panel and ruled βmedically able and medically fit to perform his duties as a professional basketball player,β heβs free to sign with any NBA team.
βIβm a free agent, so Iβm just at home and seeing the doctors and whenever I get cleared, Iβm going to find a new team,β Koloko said. βWherever it is, Iβm going to make it my new home. ... Itβs been amazing being in the NBA. The NBA is the best league in the world and you canβt get any better than that. Iβm grateful and thankful to be in that league.β
The 23-year-old Koloko didnβt rule out a return to the Raptors.
βNever say no. I donβt know what the future holds. I could be back with the Raptors in the future, maybe not,β he said. βI loved my time with the Raptors. They believed in me, they drafted me, so Iβm thankful for them supporting me.β
Lloyd said Koloko is βreally an inspiration to me, just how much a player can improve in a short time.β
βI know heβs gone through some tough health stuff, but hopefully heβs getting that behind them and I have no doubt in my mind if he can figure out this health stuff, that he can be a successful player in the NBA,β Lloyd said.
Although his basketball career is at risk in the beginning stages, Koloko is maintaining a glass-half-full perspective and is appreciative of where the sport has taken him.
βWhen I started playing basketball, I never imagined I would be here,β Koloko said. βI just started playing basketball for fun. I started loving it. I started loving the game of basketball. I was playing soccer my whole life. When I started playing basketball, I was like, βI love this game,β and I continued to get better and better. I had an opportunity to move to the U.S., and now Iβm here.
βItβs amazing.β
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Photos: Arizona pound on on arch rival ASU 105-60, Pac-12 men's college basketball