Former Raptors Center Christian Koloko Shares Promising Update

Christian Koloko appears to be on the mend.

The former Toronto Raptors second-round pick shared an Instagram story with footage of a recent workout he works his way back from a medical incident that forced Toronto to move on from Koloko.

The video shows the 7-foot-1 center working out with a trainer with a caption that reads "slowly but surely."

Koloko appeared in 59 games for Toronto as a rookie, averaging 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He was forced to start in 19 games for the Raptors who battled injuries and lacked a quality starting center for most of the year.

Toronto had high hopes for Koloko who looked poised to be a backup big for the organization behind Jakob Poeltl heading into last summer. The 23-year-old popped up on the injury report ahead of Summer League last year due to a respiratory issue and was never able to make it back. He was occasionally seen working out at the OVO Athletic Centre but was never cleared to play.

The Raptors waived Koloko on 17 January 2024 following the trade that sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers.

Toronto couldn't talk publicly about Koloko's health situation, but The Athletic reported he was battling a blood clots issue that was potentially career-threatening.

“We're still keeping tabs on him,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said following Toronto's season. “We'll see how things go with his medical. I can’t comment here on where his medical is, but we really wish him the best.”

Koloko is currently free agent.