-
Shams Charania, ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers middle Christian Koloko has been medically cleared to play by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, sources advised ESPN.
He’ll start training with the Lakers and can ramp as much as play for the primary time since a blood clot problem threatened his profession final 12 months.
Koloko’s agent, Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports activities, confirmed to ESPN that the middle will start full basketball actions this week.
The 7-footer’s medical clearance is promising information for the Lakers’ growth program, which provides him to latest successes in Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht.
L.A. has been intrigued by Koloko, who has not performed since April 2023 and now could be anticipated to supply one other middle to play alongside Anthony Davis.
Koloko, 24, was the No. 33 decide within the 2022 draft, going to the Toronto Raptors. In 58 regular-season video games with Toronto in 2022-23, he averaged 3.1 factors, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.
Koloko, who signed a two-way contract with the Lakers within the offseason, performed three seasons on the College of Arizona, averaging 12.6 factors, 7.3 rebounds and a couple of.8 blocks in 2021-22 on his strategy to being named the Pac-12 Defensive Participant of the Yr.