Los Angeles Lakers center Christian Koloko has been medically cleared to play by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
Koloko, 24, is expected to begin practicing with the Lakers and will ramp up to play for the first time since a blood clot issue threatened his career last year. He hasn’t played since April 2023.
Koloko’s agent, Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports, said the center will begin full basketball activities this week. The 7-foot-1 Koloko was the No. 33 pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of the University of Arizona.
Lakers 7-footer Christian Koloko has been medically cleared by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, sources tell ESPN.
Koloko will begin practicing with the Lakers this week and ramp up to play for first time since April 2023 and a blood clot issue that threatened his career. pic.twitter.com/dS7QrlrptC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 29, 2024
In 58 regular-season games with Toronto in the 2022-23 season, he averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.0 block, and 13.8 minutes per game contest while shooting 48% from the field and 62.7% at the free throw line.
Additionally, in Toronto’s 113-104 win over the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 6, 2022, Koloko recorded career highs of 11 points and six blocks in 31 minutes as a starter. He also posted seven rebounds and two assists.
Los Angeles Lakers center Christian Koloko signed a two-way contract in September
According to NBA.com, Koloko made an impact on both ends of the court during his rookie season. The Cameroonian hooper finished with the best net rating among all Raptors players to appear in at least 30 games.
With the Arizona Wildcats, he won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22 after averaging 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game.
He didn’t play in his second season and was declared “out indefinitely due to respiratory issues” in October 2023. Toronto then waived him in January 2024 to complete the trade that sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers.
The NBA’s fitness-to-play panel consists of a league-appointed doctor, a players union-appointed doctor, and a mutually agreed upon third doctor.
