Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko on Indiana Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin: 'I just feel like he can do everything'
Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin and Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko are both rookies in the NBA, and they got to face off for the first time this past Saturday. Their connection predates that game, though.
The two were teammates for two years at The University of Arizona — they were even roommates. Their first game against each other was something both players looked forward to.
"He said he's going to dunk on me tonight, so we gonna see," Koloko said before the game.
Unfortunately, those fireworks never happened. Koloko got injured during the game and only played for five minutes and 32 seconds while Mathurin dropped 15 points in a Pacers win. But the two still got to share the floor for a few moments, which was a full-circle moment after their time as Wildcats.
The two used to talk about being in the NBA during their NCAA days, and they will presumably have many more battles throughout their careers since both players were top-33 picks in the 2022 NBA Draft. "That's all we would talk about when we were at Arizona. Our goal was to get to the NBA, so we were always talking about it," Koloko said. "It's just amazing that we're all here right now."
Koloko is off to a strong start to his NBA career. He has played in all 15 games for the Raptors so far this season and has started eight times. His defensive skills and instincts are obvious already, and he's just 22-years old.
Despite Koloko's success, Mathurin has outshined him. The Pacers sixth overall pick is averaging 19.9 points per game through 13 games and has multiple jaw-dropping performances. There's a reason he sits on top of the NBA's Rookie of the Year ladder one month into the season.
Koloko is hardly surprised by Mathurin's success. He always thought that more freedom and space would help the lottery pick thrive. "I think he's just playing with more poise," Koloko said of Mathurin.
"He's got a good game overall. He can shoot the ball, he can drive to the basket. He's really athletic, he's strong. I just feel like he can do everything," the Raptors rookie added when describing his former teammate's game.
The pair, along with Chicago Bulls first-round pick Dalen Terry, are certainly making a name for themselves and the Arizona program this season. Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd was at the Pacers opening night game this year to watch Mathurin's NBA debut, and several Arizona staffers — including TJ Benson, Rem Bakamus, and Riccardo Fois —were in Chicago to watch Mathurin battle with Terry earlier this season. The rookie class out of Arizona is exciting.
While Mathurin is the headliner, Koloko and Terry are no slouches and have had impressive moments for their teams already. Those clashes should continue for years to come, and it will be interesting to see if the competitive edge that came out the first time they all battled each other will remain going forward.
All three play for teams that are currently fighting in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, so it will be fascinating to monitor their seasons as they progress. In the meantime, though, the rookies will continue to watch each other and be happy for their former teammates' success.
"He just wants to win, he always wants to win," Koloko said of Mathurin, going as far as saying the Pacers rookie doesn't even like to lose in pick-up games. That's been clear in the NBA so far, and the two players have had very successful starts in the pros thanks to their desires to win. So far, Mathurin leads the head-to-head mathcup one to zero.
- Oshae Brissett puts together his best game of the season to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Toronto Raptors: 'He's doing it at a high level'. CLICK HERE.
- Bennedict Mathurin continues his impressive rookie season with an 18-point quarter, 30-point game vs Denver Nuggets. CLICK HERE.
- Younger Indiana Pacers players are benefitting from T.J. McConnell's leadership. CLICK HERE.
- Report: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner. CLICK HERE.
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