The Boston Celtics recently made an under-the-radar move at the developmental level, acquiring the G League rights to a veteran center with considerable NBA experience.
On October 15, Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, traded Kendall Brown’s returning player rights to the Austin Spurs in exchange for the rights to Osayi Osifo, Donovan Williams, and Christian Koloko.
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Koloko was arguably the most intriguing name in the deal, having made 122 NBA appearances before the New Orleans Pelicans recently waived him.
However, the 6-foot-11 Cameroonian center has now taken his career in a new direction, signing with Serbian powerhouse Crvena zvezda in his first move overseas.
Also known as Red Star Belgrade, the club competes in the Serbian League (KLS), ABA League, and EuroLeague.
Boston Celtics’ Recent G League Acquisition Takes Unexpected Turn
Importantly, the Celtics only acquired the returning player rights to Osifo, Williams, and Koloko, rather than signing the players themselves.
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The trade offered no guarantee that any of the three would suit up for Maine this season. Instead, it gave the organization control of their G League rights should they return to the competition.
Interestingly, all three players have now opted to continue their careers overseas.
Osifo signed with Slovenian club Cedevita Olimpija, while Williams joined Lebanese Basketball League side Al Riyadi.
Koloko has followed a similar path after failing to secure a place on the Pelicans’ opening-night roster.
The 26-year-old joined New Orleans on an Exhibit 9 training camp contract but struggled to make an impression during the preseason.
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He appeared in just one game, playing four minutes against the Miami Heat. Koloko went scoreless but contributed two offensive rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks.
With his NBA two-way eligibility now exhausted, Koloko faced an uncertain future following his release, making an overseas opportunity an appealing alternative.
Former Lakers Center Brings NBA Experience to New Challenge
Despite his latest setback, Koloko has built up considerable experience across the NBA and G League.
The former second-round pick made five G League appearances with the Austin Spurs and South Bay Lakers last season, averaging 7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks while shooting an efficient 57.7% from the field.
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However, he spent the majority of the campaign at the NBA level, representing the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Atlanta Hawks.
Across 27 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, Koloko averaged 2.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and just under one block in 13.2 minutes per game.
Meanwhile, Maine completed another G League rights transaction on October 15, sending Aaron Scott’s returning player rights to the Long Island Nets in exchange for the rights to D’andre Davis.
The moves form part of the Celtics’ preparations for the upcoming G League campaign, with the organization also maintaining continuity on the sidelines.
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On October 1, Maine confirmed that Phil Pressey would return for his second season as head coach.
Pressey guided the Celtics to a 27-23 overall record in his debut campaign, helping the organization reach the G League playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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