-
Shams Charania, ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers center Christian Koloko has been medically cleared to play by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, sources told ESPN.
He will 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.
Koloko’s agent, Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports, confirmed to ESPN that the center will begin full basketball activities this week.
The 7-footer’s medical clearance is promising news for the Lakers’ development program, which adds him to recent successes in Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht.
L.A. has been intrigued by Koloko, who has not played since April 2023 and now is expected to provide another center to play alongside Anthony Davis.
Koloko, 24, was the No. 33 pick in the 2022 draft, going to the Toronto Raptors. In 58 regular-season games with Toronto in 2022-23, he averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.
Koloko, who signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in the offseason, played three seasons at the University of Arizona, averaging 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 2021-22 on his way to being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.