AK Okereke's Lakers deal reunites him with Chris Mañon

The former walk-on made 35 starts at Vanderbilt.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 241 min read

What happened: Okereke landed the two-way contract after going undrafted and completing 14 workouts with 13 teams, including two with Los Angeles. The agreement allows him to divide the 2026-27 season between the NBA and G League.

Why it matters: The arrangement preserves a standard roster spot while giving Okereke a development route. He became the second Cornell basketball alumnus to reach the NBA since 2012.

By the numbers: Okereke averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 36 games at Vanderbilt, shooting 40.0% from 3-point range. In his final Cornell season, he averaged 13.9 points and shot 59.5% from the field, 18th nationally.

What to watch: Training camp will begin defining Okereke's NBA opportunities and developmental role for 2026-27.

Sources

The Cornell Daily Sun 2026-08-24T11:57:13.804825+00:00

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