This year, more than the others, Cameroonian basketball should live to the rhythm of the Raptors season. This night against Miami, the Canadian franchise created a small event by establishing Pascal Siakam and Christian Koloko. It was quite simply the first time that two Cameroonians were lined up in the same starting five.
Associated Press notes that it was the 31st time in league history that two Cameroonian players had started the same game, but on each of the first 30 occasions they had started as opponents. Most of those meetings were between Joel Embiid’s 76ers and compatriot Pascal Siakam’s Raptors.
The latter recorded 23 points (7/22 on shots), 9 rebounds and 6 assists in the victory, while the rookie, tenured for the first time in the absence of Scottie Barnes – injured in the ankle during the first game against in Miami – settled for 2 points and 2 rebounds, due to foul concerns.
Seeing three Cameroonians started in the same game has never happened. But that could be the case this week as Sixers and Raptors meet twice, and Scottie Barnes could miss the next game.
It is recalled that the two Toronto teammates are natives of Douala. ” Pascal means everything to Douala. He is the first person from Douala to play in the NBA. He’s an NBA champion. He’s All-Star, and he showed people like me that anything is possible. “, had expressed the 33rd choice of the last Draft, in June.
Koloko is the fifth Cameroon native to start an NBA game, joining Siakam, Embiid, Luc Mbah a Moute and Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje. The Raptors have eight foreign-born players in their roster, making the Canadian squad the most “international” team in the league for the second year in a row.
