Lakers Just Added a Sharpshooter Who Shot 40% From Three. Here’s What He Brings.

The Lakers quietly filled their last two-way roster spot over the weekend, and the guy they grabbed might actually be worth watching.

AK Okereke signed a two-way deal with Los Angeles on Sunday, joining Chris Mañon and Peter Suder as the team’s three two-way contract players. The 23-year-old forward went undrafted last month after spending one season at Vanderbilt, but his shooting numbers tell a different story than his draft stock might suggest.

Okereke knocked down 40% of his threes for the Commodores and averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Not eye-popping numbers, but context matters. Before transferring to Vanderbilt, he spent three years at Cornell where he wasn’t just a rotation guy. He was an All-Ivy League selection as a junior, putting up 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting an absurd 59.5% from the field. That led the Ivy League and ranked 18th nationally.

He started at Cornell as a walk-on. That’s not nothing.

According to a press release from the Lakers shared by the OC Register’s Benjamin Royer, Okereke’s development from unrecruited high schooler to conference standout is exactly the kind of trajectory that makes front offices take a second look. He helped Vanderbilt reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. That run matters when you’re trying to prove you can play winning basketball.

Where he fits

The Lakers have already added Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jaden Hardy this offseason. They also lost Luke Kennard, and there’s still uncertainty around Rui Hachimura’s future with the team. Okereke’s three-point shooting could be a nice complement, especially if the Lakers end up needing floor spacing off the bench.

He projects as a potential 3-and-D wing, which is exactly the kind of role player every contender needs. But the path to minutes is brutal. He’ll be competing with Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, Adou Thierro and whoever else ends up in the rotation. If Hachimura stays, that’s another body in front of him.

He’s already gotten some run in the California Classic summer league, putting up 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks across two games. The Lakers are 1-1 in that tournament so far.

Two-way deals don’t usually make headlines. But when a guy shoots 40% from deep, has a legit college resume and plays a position that’s always in demand, it’s worth keeping an eye on. The Lakers clearly think they found something.