Former Arizona Wildcats Basketball Star Lands Two-Way Deal With Los Angeles Lakers
Given how much success the Arizona Wildcats have had on the hardwood over the last few seasons under Tommy Lloyd, it should come as no surprise that they have seen several players make it to the NBA.
In the 2022 NBA Draft, after Lloyd’s first season on the job, three of his players were drafted. Two of them, Bennedict Mathurin and Dalen Terry, were selected in the first round; No. 6 by the Indiana Pacers and No. 18 by the Chicago Bulls, respectively.
In the second round, just missing out on the first round at No. 33 overall, was Christian Koloko, who landed with the Toronto Raptors.
Unfortunately, he had his basketball career put on pause not long after being selected. Blood clots caused a life-threatening medical issue, leading to him not playing in the 2023-24 campaign.
The Raptors eventually released him as a result, but he has since been cleared to return to basketball activities. His professional career will continue with the Los Angeles Lakers.
An announcement was made on their official X page that the former Wildcats star was signed to a two-way deal.
OFFICIAL: Lakers sign center Christian Koloko to a two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/VSISCe9JO0
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 16, 2024
That kind of contract doesn’t guarantee Koloko a spot on the roster, but the Lakers like him enough to hold one of the spots normally reserved for developmental players. He will spend time in Los Angeles and with the South Bay Lakers of the G League.
Who knows, Koloko could play his way into a traditional NBA contract in a similar fashion to Austin Reaves, who took full advantage of the opportunity the Lakers presented him as a two-way player and is now a key piece of their rotation.
The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player for the 2021-22 season, he led the conference with 2.8 blocks per game as an intimidating presence in the paint. The starting center averaged 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game.
In 58 games as a pro with the Raptors, including 19 starts, Koloko averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.4 steals and one block in 13.8 minutes.
He could not have landed in a much better spot than Los Angeles. He is the only player listed as a center on their Basketball-Reference roster, with Anthony Davis being a forward-center. Minutes could be available as first-time head coach J.J. Redick will leave no stone unturned when figuring out the best lineup combinations to use.
