The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to terms on a two-way contract with former Vanderbilt forward AK Okereke, a source confirmed Wednesday night. Okereke, who went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, spent one season with the Commodores after three seasons at Cornell.
During his lone season at Vanderbilt, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He was a full-time starter, appearing in 35 of the 36 games played. Okereke demonstrated efficiency from the field, leading the Ivy League and ranking 18th nationally in field goal percentage as a junior at Cornell with 59.5%, including 67% on two-point attempts. At Vanderbilt, he shot 40% from three-point range, making 40 of 100 attempts.
Okereke began his college career as a walk-on at Cornell in 2022. He played four games as a freshman before becoming a rotational player in his sophomore season. As a junior in 2024-25, he was a full-time starter, posting averages of 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals.
Okereke's path to the Lakers mirrors that of Chris Manon, who previously spent the 2025-26 season on a two-way deal with the team. Manon also played at Cornell, transferred to Vanderbilt, and went undrafted before signing with the Lakers.