The Toronto Raptors decided to release big man Christian Koloko on Wednesday, January 17, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
This move aimed to create roster space for the recent acquisitions of Bruce Brown Jr., Jordan Nwora, and Kira Lewis Jr., all part of the blockbuster trade involving two-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam.
The day following his release, it came to light that Koloko was facing a career-threatening blood clot issue. As a result, he has been referred to the NBA's Fitness-to-Play Panel, rendering him unable to participate in league activities, including playing or practicing, until he receives clearance.
Koloko has been sidelined for the entirety of the ongoing 2023-24 season due to what the Raptors initially labeled as a "respiratory issue."
The Raptors drafted the 7-foot big man with the 33rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. In his rookie year last season, he made an impact by participating in 58 games, with 19 starts.
Over that span, he maintained an average of 3.1 points per game, along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.
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Other NBA players whose careers were cut short by illness
The alarming revelation of Koloko's diagnosis is a rare instance where an illness poses a threat to an NBA player's career, as opposed to the more common scenario of career-threatening injuries. Here are similar cases to the 23-year-old.
1. LaMarcus Aldridge
The well-known big man stunned the NBA when he announced his sudden retirement after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, which he felt during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 10.
The seven-time NBA All-Star made the announcement five days after the game, and he revealed that he nearly passed out that evening after he felt that his heartbeat was not picking up.
The doctors eventually cleared Aldridge during that summer, and he went on to play one more season in the NBA in 2021-22, appearing in 47 games before walking out of the game for good.
2. Chris Bosh
Bosh initially missed the second half of the 2014-15 NBA season due to a diagnosis of a blood clot in his lungs, which surfaced just before the 2015 All-Star Game.
Although he briefly returned to play in 53 games during the 2015-16 season, where he performed well, concerns arose again in February when a blood clot in his leg prompted him to halt his playing activities.
His game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 9, 2016, proved to be the last one in his NBA career. During the subsequent offseason, Heat president Pat Riley declared that Bosh's career with the Heat was probably over.
Bosh attempted to make a comeback in the NBA during the following years to no avail, and he officially announced his retirement in 2019.
3. Magic Johnson
Arguably, the most well-known career derailed by illness is that of Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, often regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history.
In a routine physical examination before the 1991-92 NBA season, it was revealed that the five-time NBA champion had contracted HIV. During that period, the disease carried a significant stigma, often associated with the homosexual community, and survival rates were relatively low.
At the time of his diagnosis, Johnson was still in his prime, having recently experienced a loss in the 1991 NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Despite the setback, the charismatic point guard participated in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game and the 1992 Summer Olympics. He later made a brief comeback with the Lakers in 1996, marking the conclusion of his illustrious career.
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