It had been 18 months since Koloko last played in the NBA, which was during what seemed like a meaningless season finale for the Toronto Raptors in 2023. He logged 24 minutes that night and appeared ready to take on a larger role with the team as he entered his sophomore season in Toronto.
However, things took a turn. Koloko faced a blood clotting issue that sidelined him from basketball for the past season. The Raptors had hoped he could overcome the problem, but ultimately decided to part ways with the former second-round pick in January. On Wednesday night, Koloko returned to the court, playing 13 minutes off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, who called him up from the G League on short notice after Anthony Davis was injured.
It was amazing. This past year and a half was probably the toughest time of my life,” Koloko shared with reporters in Memphis after the Lakers’ loss. “Not knowing if I would play basketball again, my family and I went through a lot during this time. We’re just really happy.” Koloko described the process of getting medical clearance from the NBA as frustrating.
While he expected to eventually be cleared, what was initially anticipated to be a four-to-six-week process stretched into a four-month ordeal before he signed a two-way contract with the Lakers this past summer. At 24 years old, Koloko scored his first points as a Laker with a two-handed dunk, cutting in from the left corner after receiving a mid-air pass from Austin Reeves during a pick-and-roll. He also recorded a block, swatting away a layup attempt by Jake LaRavia in the first quarter. “It felt great. When I saw him coming in, I thought I better block this shot because if he scored, it wouldn’t look good for me,” Koloko said after the game. “When I got the block, I thought, yeah, maybe I’m back. I was excited.” If Davis remains sidelined, Koloko is expected to face Toronto when they play the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Leave a Reply