Inexperienced centers don't usually play much for good NBA teams, particularly when they're second-round picks. But Christian Koloko is not your typical rookie.
The 22-year-old has jumped in and become a regular rotation player for the Raptors, even starting in two of the team's first seven games. Those minutes have been well-deserved, as Koloko has given the Raptors something that nobody else on the roster can.
Koloko has already established the trust of the coaching staff because of the unique defensive impact that he contributes.
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Christian Koloko gives the Raptors size without sacrificing versatility
Last year's Raptors team was successful defensively because of its ability to swarm opponents with long bodies, but none of the regular rotation players were taller than 6-9.
Koloko gives coach Nick Nurse another option: a true 7-1, 230-pound body with a massive 7-5 wingspan.
He is able to provide that sort of size without sacrificing versatility, which is what makes him such a great fit for the Raptors' switch-heavy defensive system. They are still able to switch throughout their lineup because of how well Koloko moves his feet on the perimeter.
For instance, watch Koloko switch onto crafty guard Caris LeVert and contain his drive:
Christian Koloko's rim protection and defensive impact
Koloko also gives the Raptors a true shot-blocking threat. His 3.1 blocks per 36 minutes is already the fifth-highest mark in the league. He had six against the Bulls on Sunday, including three against Patrick Williams in a two-minute span.
Absurd defensive game from Christian Koloko. Six blocks to go along with 11 points. pic.twitter.com/kuUhr1MBEg
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) November 7, 2022
Opponents are shooting just 56.3 percent at the rim against Koloko, the second-best mark on the team among players defending at least one shot at the rim per game.
The on-off numbers also look great for Koloko. His impact goes beyond just blocks.
Per Basketball-Reference, the Raptors' defense is 13.5 points per 100 possessions better with Koloko on the floor than without him. In other words, when he plays, they defend better than the No. 2 Cavaliers. Without him on the floor, their defense has fallen to the same level as the No. 24 Wizards.
Koloko's defensive impact also looks sterling through the lens of some of the all-in-one box score metrics. His Defensive Stable Player Impact, a new metric created by Kevin Ferrigan, ranks as the 26th-highest in the entire league.
Christian Koloko offensive impact
Koloko is still a much more raw prospect offensively, but he's started to develop good chemistry with Fred VanVleet and proven adept as a roll man.
He's already had some thunderous dunks this season. His eight dunks are tied for second place on the team and have happened in far fewer minutes than the rest of his high-flying teammates. His highlights have been fun to watch.
Koloko has had a terrific start to his season. And considering that he only started playing basketball seriously a little over seven years ago at the age of 15, he's just hitting the tip of the iceberg in terms of the player he can become.
