Christian Koloko needed just three EuroLeague appearances to make his presence felt at Crvena Zvezda. The Cameroonian center arrived in Belgrade with 122 NBA regular-season games behind him, experience alongside some of basketball’s biggest names and a career that had already taken an unexpected turn because of a serious health problem.
Now, at 26, he is discovering European basketball while giving Ibon Navarro’s team an additional defensive dimension.
Following Crvena Zvezda’s victory over Olympiacos in Piraeus, Navarro described Koloko as the final piece of a puzzle his team had been assembling for months. The Serbian club had been looking for a player capable of protecting the basket, finishing above the rim and making opponents think twice before attacking the paint.
“He brought to the team something that we were missing, like one player with the ability of shot-blocking, play over the rim, and one guy that makes it not easy to score in the paint,” Navarro explained. “He’s not the key factor in terms of the team playing very well because of him. The team has been working for three months without him, and now it’s true that we were missing this last piece, and he brought it.”
Koloko’s early performances have justified that assessment. Against Bayern Munich, he recorded five blocks and 12 points in just 14 minutes, offering a glimpse of the athleticism and defensive instincts that once made him an intriguing NBA prospect. His first three EuroLeague appearances, against Maccabi, Bayern and Olympiacos, also ended in three victories, giving him an encouraging start to his European career.
Selected 33rd overall in the 2022 NBA Draft after developing at the University of Arizona, Koloko began his professional journey with the Toronto Raptors. He later spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers and other NBA organizations, sharing locker rooms with Pascal Siakam, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Those experiences helped shape his approach to preparation, recovery and the physical demands of professional basketball.
His career, however, has been anything but straightforward. A blood-clotting issue interrupted his NBA journey and kept him away from competitive basketball for an extended period. His eventual return made playing the sport he loves a different kind of achievement, something he now appreciates more than ever.
Speaking to SKWEEK after Crvena Zvezda’s win in Athens, Koloko discussed his first impressions of the EuroLeague, the challenges of defending European centers and the influence of NBA stars on his development. He also explained why Giannis Antetokounmpo became a source of inspiration for a young player growing up in Africa, identified the NBA’s most vocal trash-talkers and compared the atmosphere in European arenas with what he experienced in the United States.
Above all, he reflected on the health scare that nearly ended his career and why his new chapter in Belgrade means considerably more than simply returning to the court.
It was a peculiar game against Olympiacos. They struggled offensively in the first half, but they came back strongly after the break. How did you experience the game, and what changed between the two halves?
I think we did a pretty good job in the first half. We played some good defense, but we couldn’t grab the rebounds. They had a lot of offensive rebounds. In the second half, we knew they were playing at home, so they’re used to making this type of comeback. We knew the second half was going to be harder than the first. We just had to stay focused and stay together. Even if they made a run, we had to stick together until the end of the game. I think that’s what we did, and we got the win.
How are you experiencing your first days in Europe and at Crvena Zvezda?
I like it. We’ve won our first three games, and I think it’s always good when you’re winning. It’s good for me that I came here and we started winning games. It’s been good so far. I can’t complain. I love it. I love my team, I love the fans, I love the city, I love everybody. So, yeah, I’m excited.
Is there anything that particularly stands out about the way basketball is played in Europe?
I think it’s a little more physical. You can really feel the physicality because the game is a little more packed. You don’t have the defensive three-second rule, so that makes the game more crowded. As a rim runner, when you set a screen and roll, there’s always somebody tagging you. You just have to be physically ready. Other than that, I think it’s basketball. At the end of the day, it’s basketball, like I keep saying.
You recorded five blocks against Bayern in just 14 minutes. You’ve faced players like Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis in the NBA, and now you’re going up against some of the EuroLeague’s best centers. Has anyone been particularly difficult to deal with so far?
Honestly, I’ve only played three games, so I can’t really talk about it. Every game has been different. The first game was against Maccabi and Daniel Theis, the second against Bayern, and today against Olympiacos. They all have different types of big men, so I’m not going to say anybody was more difficult than the others. I just had to adjust to every single one of them. So far, we’ve done a pretty good job because we’ve won those games.
Do you embrace the role of being a rim protector?
Yeah, I think that’s one of the reasons they wanted to get me: to protect the rim. I try to do that. When I’m out there, my job is to block shots and be that rim protector.
Have you watched Walter Tavares? You’ll be facing Real Madrid next.
Yeah, I’ve watched a little bit. I was watching Real Madrid’s game against Panathinaikos two days ago. That’s our next game, and they’re a tough opponent. They’re playing really well right now. We just have to go out there and play like we did tonight, play hard. I know Tavares is also going to be a big matchup, like today. We have to do it as a team. It’s not only me. It’s a team effort.
Is there a European center you expect to be your toughest matchup?
I don’t know. We just have to play. Even in the NBA, I don’t really look at anybody as the toughest matchup. We go out there, and the coach has a game plan for every single player. Whether it’s just me guarding him or we’re double-teaming, whatever the coach wants me to do, I’m going to do it. Whatever happens at the end of the game, we’ll live with the result.
Back at Arizona, your coaches used Giannis Antetokounmpo as an example of an athletic player who became an NBA superstar through hard work. How much did his story influence yours?
You see Giannis, somebody who came into the NBA when he was 18 or 19, really skinny. You can see the work he put in to get to the level he’s at right now. For me, as a young kid from Africa, it was that type of hard work, that type of inspiration. Somebody you can see yourself through. Giannis was that type of person. He really worked to get to where he is, and I think I had to work to get to where I am, too.
Have you ever had the chance to speak with him?
No, no. We’ve played against each other, but we’ve never really talked.
What’s the biggest lesson you learned from Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Pascal Siakam that you carry with you, especially now that you’re starting a completely new chapter in Europe?
I think the biggest thing I learned from those guys is preparation. In my first year with Toronto, Pascal Siakam was somebody who was always the first in the gym. He might play 40 minutes every night, but the next day he’s going to be the first in the gym, work on his game and take care of his body.
Preparation and taking care of your body, that’s what I’m trying to do right now. When you’re playing a lot of minutes, you have to take care of your body. That’s something I really saw with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Everybody talks about how LeBron takes care of his body. That’s the reason he’s been able to play for as long as he has. Those are some of the things I’m trying to take from them: preparation, attention to detail and taking care of your body.
Joel Embiid once joked that you couldn’t guard him. Now you’re playing in a league where every position feels like a fight. Who talks more trash, NBA superstars or EuroLeague players?
NBA superstars! Since I’ve been here, nobody has talked trash to me. But honestly, I don’t really care about trash talking. I’m still going to play my game. But yeah, definitely the NBA. I think that’s just American culture. You have to talk trash sometimes because that’s what gets you going. They don’t do it to be disrespectful or anything. It’s just what gets them going.
Who’s the biggest trash-talker you’ve faced in the NBA?
Maybe Draymond Green, because he’s always talking. Yeah, maybe Draymond Green. And Joel a little bit, too. But Joel and I are from the same country, so even if he was talking trash, it wasn’t anything crazy.
Has anyone in Europe tried to intimidate you so far?
I don’t know. Maybe. I’m not going to lie to you. When I play, I’m just focused on the game. Even if somebody talks to me, I’m just going to look at him like, “OK, bro, let’s play basketball. You can say whatever you want.”
You went through a frightening blood-clotting issue that nearly derailed your NBA career. Now you’re healthy, playing in the EuroLeague and celebrating a big win in Athens. When you look back at everything you’ve been through, does this feel like a second basketball life?
Yeah, definitely. I’m just happy I’m playing the game, the game I love, the game of basketball. I’m just trying to be the best version of myself every day, and I’m grateful. I’m grateful I’m playing the game. Basketball almost got taken away from me. So I’m just happy to be here, happy to play for a good team, with great teammates and great fans.
After seeing the passion in Greece and Serbia, can you imagine walking into a regular NBA arena and feeling the same adrenaline?
I think sometimes in the NBA, during the playoffs. But it’s not as crazy as our fans. I think we have the best fans in the world.