Former Raptors 7-Footer Christian Koloko Finds New NBA Home

After sitting out the 2023-24 season with a blood clot, 7-foot Cameroonian center Christian Koloko is ready to give the NBA another shot, and the Los Angeles Lakers are going to give it to him.

The Lakers and seven-foot center Christian Koloko have agreed on a deal, agent Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports says. Koloko is expected to have an opportunity for a role in Lakers frontcourt after he receives clearance from league’s fitness panel. https://t.co/QEYw7Or4kR
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2024

The Lakers were in need of another big man and had been looking for another center all summer. Koloko has a 7’5" wingspan, which ranks him 2nd on the Lakers behind only Anthony Davis and his 7’6" reach.

Koloko was selected by the Toronto Raptors early in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft (33rd overall), and showed some nice flashes in his rookie season, playing almost 14 minutes per game, in 58 contests.

Due to his dealing with a potentially career-ending blood clotting issue last year, however, he has to be cleared by the NBA's Fitness-to-Play Panel before he can return to the court.

The addition of the 7-footer would be a relief to AD, who we know prefers to play power forward, and according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, has made it clear to the Lakers that he wants to play alongside a center more often this season.