SUMMARY
- Christian Koloko, the former center for the Toronto Raptors, is facing a serious career-threatening threat due to a blood clot issue.
- The Toronto Raptors waived Christian Koloko on Wednesday, a move that was initiated after the team traded Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for three players.
It’s common for NBA players to sustain an injury or two when they are super active on the hardwood. While some injuries can be dealt with and just require some time off the court, others can be career-threatening. The center of the Toronto Raptors, Christian Koloko, is dealing with the worst nightmare for a professional NBA player.
Christian Koloko, the former big man of the Arizona Wildcats, is now under an injury curse, it seems. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Christian Koloko is facing a career-ending threat in the form of a blood clot. It’s worth noting that, per Charania, the Raptors’s Koloko was waved on Wednesday. This act was set into motion after the team traded Pascal Siakam in exchange for three players from the Indiana Pacers.
Former Raptors center Christian Koloko has a blood clot issue that is threatening his basketball career, details on @TheRally: pic.twitter.com/ZpNV5FG9uJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 18, 2024
Koloko has not recorded minutes in the 2023–24 season, and the Raptors have termed the issue to be related to a ‘respiratory issue.’ However, Charania reported that someone close to Koloko had spilled the beans on the underlying issue. Christian seems to have a blood clot issue that might be jeopardizing his career.
Charania said, “The NBA informed teams today that Christian Koloko has been referred to the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play Panel. That essentially means that he is unable to play or practice in the NBA until he is cleared.” Adding to the rhetoric, he also claimed that there is “no shortage of suitors” or teams that are interested in Koloko. Although Raptors’ president Masai Ujiri chose not to offer any clarification on his medical status, he said, “His medical status is in the hands of the NBA.”
The Cameroonian player has a long way to go to establish his dominance on the hardwood; however, his critical health in his second season with the team has raised many eyebrows.
When did Christian Koloko get drafted?
The 23-year-old Cameroonian player is a former big man for the Arizona Wildcats. He played for the team from 2019–2022, and then he was drafted into the NBA. The Toronto Raptors drafted Koloko as a 33rd overall pick (2nd round). The 7-foot-0 from Douala, Cameroon, had an average of 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, with 48% shooting from the field, in his rookie season with the team.
He recorded his NBA debut in October 2022, when the Raptors secured a win against the trailing Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-105. Koloko secured 3 points and 6 rebounds in his 15 minutes on the hardwood. And he played his last game against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 8, 2023, when the Raptors won by a double-digit lead.
Koloko secured 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in his 25 minutes on the court. Although the team’s president, Ujiri, has great hopes for the second-year player, the medical issue is indeed worrisome.