The free‑agent big man Christian Koloko inked a deal with Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda, the club confirmed on Sunday via Twitter.
Koloko, the 33rd pick of the 2022 draft after three years at Arizona, heads to Europe for the first time. The Cameroonian forward attracted interest from several EuroLeague rivals before opting for Crvena Zvezda.
His contract hinges on passing a physical, but the squad already boasts former NBA talent like Jared Butler, Patrick Baldwin and Semi Ojeleye. For my money, the blend of experience and youth could lift the team’s early 4‑2 EuroLeague start.
Koloko spent the Pelicans’ training camp and part of preseason with New Orleans before the club released him from a non‑guaranteed Exhibit 9 on Oct. 9.
Standing 6‑11, he showed flashes with Toronto in 2022‑23, yet missed all of 2023‑24 due to a blood‑clot issue. Cleared for the 2024‑25 season, he finished that year on a two‑way deal with the Lakers.
After a two‑way stint in Los Angeles, he was cut in late November. A brief spell with the G League’s Austin Spurs followed in mid‑December, then a 10‑day hardship contract with Memphis. The Grizzlies gave him a second 10‑day deal on Jan. 2 but let him go when it expired.
The Hawks signed him to a two‑way contract in mid‑January. In 14 games for Atlanta he logged 3.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 11.1 minutes. Overall, he appeared in 27 contests last season, averaging 2.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 13.2 minutes.
Koloko’s NBA career totals 2.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game across 122 regular‑season outings, averaging 12.3 minutes.
Although he’s technically logged three NBA seasons, four years of service now make him ineligible for two‑way deals. Could his move to Europe reignite a path back to the NBA?