The Los Angeles Lakers will indeed have Christian Koloko at their disposal this season, as the 7-foot-1 center has been medically cleared by the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play Panel, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Lakers 7-footer Christian Koloko has been medically cleared by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, sources tell ESPN.
Koloko will begin practicing with the Lakers this week and ramp up to play for first time since April 2023 and a blood clot issue that threatened his career. pic.twitter.com/dS7QrlrptC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 29, 2024
Koloko’s career was temporarily halted by concerns about a blood clotting issue. In fact, in 2023-24, the Arizona product was forced to sit out the entire season. As a result, since being selected 33rd overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, he’s played just 58 total games.
Lakers’ Christian Koloko Update Is Music To JJ Redick’s Ears
Now that Koloko is cleared, he’ll have to ramp up his physical activity and work himself back into game shape. At just 24 years old, there’s no doubt that he will, but it’ll be a process. With that being said, Koloko’s medical update should be music to Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s ears. While Los Angeles has gotten off to a great start under the first time head coach, their big man depth is thin.
Christian Wood remains sidelined while he rehabs from a knee surgery. Jarred Vanderbilt is still recovering from having procedures performed on both of his feet. Colin Castleton was waived in order to make room for Quincy Olivari. As a result, Jaxson Hayes has been the team’s only backup big.
Just What The Doctor Ordered
To be fair, Hayes has done okay to start the season. He’s been reasonably active, averaging 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game. He’s been extremely efficient, shooting 90.0 percent from the floor. However, he hasn’t protected the rim as well as one would expect a 7-footer to.
This is one area where Koloko could outshine the six-year veteran.
Averaging 1.0 block in 13.8 minutes per game, Koloko’s timing and 7-foot-5 wingspan allow him protect the rim at a high level. With the Lakers ranking 27th in opponent’s two-point percentage (57.6) and 17th in blocks per game (5.5) despite Anthony Davis averaging 2.5 blocks per game in his hot start, they arguably need Koloko to shore up their rim defense.
That may be the case even when Wood and Vanderbilt return. Wood is an effective defender when engaged but is an offensive-minded player. Vanderbilt is an exceptional defender but better guarding out in space than protecting the paint. If Davis —who has only played in over 60 games twice in his Lakers tenure —sustains an injury, Koloko might be their only surefire shot-blocker.
If there’s one more benefit to Koloko’s availability, it’s that he can plug right into Redick’s schemes offensively.
He’s lithe and athletic enough to thrive as a roll man. He can stretch the floor out to three-point range. Though he isn’t on Davis’s level, he could do a pretty good job mimicking him in the second unit.
Basically, Koloko is just what the doctor ordered.
