Christian Koloko looked the part of a promising young player for the Toronto Raptors. The seven-foot-one center was selected with the 33rd overall selection by Toronto in the 2022 NBA Draft. He spent much of his rookie year in the rotation, even starting 19 games.
Unfortunately, a serious health issue put his playing career in peril, and he did not play last season. Some good news has come his way though, and it hopefully is a step towards getting back on the floor in the NBA.
Former Raptors Player Cleared By Doctors After Blood Clot Issue
Blood Clot Issue Has Kept Christian Koloko Off The Court
As mentioned, Christian Koloko did not play in the 2023-24 season, and this was due to a blood clot issue which had to be a scary situation for the now 24-year-old. The Raptors were forced to waive the young center back in January. This was due to Toronto making a trade dealing Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. Along with future draft picks, the Raptors acquired Bruce Brown, Kira Lewis Jr., and Jordan Nwora. In order to have the roster space to make the deal, Koloko was waived.
While not official yet, there is a chance that Koloko will be able to return to action in the 2024-25 season. According to Blake Murphy of SportsNet, doctors have cleared Koloko to play again. He also mentions that the Cameroon native has been taking part in free agent showcases with other NBA free agents. He does still need to be cleared by the NBA’s fitness to play panel, but it is encouraging news.
Promising Rookie Season
Prior to being drafted, Koloko played three seasons collegiately for Arizona. After middling play in his first two years, he began to break out as a junior. In that 2021-22 season, Koloko posted averages of 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks. He shot 63.5% from the field and 73.5% from the foul line. That season saw him receive many conference honors including First Team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and Pac-12 Most Improved Player. That helped Koloko make the decision to enter the 2022 NBA Draft.
As a rookie with Toronto in 2022-23, Koloko appeared in 58 games (19 starts). In 13.8 minutes per contest, he would go on to average 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. He shot 72-150 (48.0%) from the field, 1-12 (8.3%) from beyond the arc, and 37-59 (62.7%) from the charity stripe. In a game against the Chicago Bulls on November 7, 2022, Koloko finished with season-highs of 11 points and six blocks. He also had three games with four blocks in his rookie year and a game with 11 rebounds.
At the young age of 24 and with what seems like so much of a potential playing career ahead of him, it will be outstanding news to hear that the Fitness to Play panel deems him eligible to return. If so, any team would be able to sign Koloko to join their roster. The Raptors can’t be counted out as a potential destination again, as they only released him because he couldn’t play, and it was a roster crunch due to the Siakam trade.
