The Los Angeles Lakers continue to reshape their developmental roster ahead of the 2026-27 NBA G League season.
After Los Angeles waived rookie forward AK Okereke on October 28 to make room for seven-foot center Lawson Lovering on a two-way contract, the 23-year-old has now rejoined the organization through its G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers.
Okereke went undrafted before signing a two-way deal with Los Angeles, initially positioning him to split his time between the NBA and G League.
However, following his release from the NBA roster, the former Vanderbilt standout will now focus on establishing himself at the developmental level.
Lakers Bring Back Rookie Forward Following Two-Way Roster Shakeup
Coachella Valley is currently holding its G League training camp, which opened on October 26 and runs through to November 5.
Teams must finalize their opening-day rosters before the regular season tips off on November 6.
Okereke’s immediate future remained uncertain after the Lakers waived him, particularly with several players already competing for spots on the affiliate’s roster.
Before training camp, Los Angeles assigned Meechie Johnson, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, William Kyle III and Chase Ross to Coachella Valley as affiliate players after each signed an NBA training camp contract with the parent club.
That left an opportunity for Okereke to return to the organization as the fifth and final affiliate player. To accommodate the rookie forward, Coachella Valley waived guards Jayden Pierre and Quion Burns, along with center Faizon Fields.
All three players had joined the franchise through the 2026 NBA G League Draft on October 24, making their departures particularly notable just days after their selections.
Okereke will wear jersey No. 31 for Coachella Valley during the upcoming campaign.
Although he no longer holds a two-way contract, the move allows him to remain within the Lakers’ developmental system and potentially work his way back into NBA consideration.
AK Okereke Gets Fresh Opportunity to Impress LA
Okereke enjoyed a four-year collegiate career, spending three seasons at Cornell between 2022 and 2025 before transferring to Vanderbilt for his senior campaign.
In his lone season with the Commodores, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field.
His perimeter shooting also stood out, as he converted 40.0% of his three-point attempts on 2.8 shots per game.
Interestingly, Okereke followed the same collegiate path as fellow Lakers prospect Chris Manon, who also spent three seasons at Cornell before transferring to Vanderbilt for his final year.
Okereke’s versatility has previously attracted praise from draft analysts, including No Ceilings NBA’s Maxwell Baumbach.
“AK Okereke has a rare combination of size, strength, skill, and savvy. He’s both powerful and smooth with the ball,” Baumbach previously wrote.
“He can get to the rim by backing his man down or by beating them off the bounce from a face-up. Regardless of how he gets to the restricted area, he’s an outstanding finisher once there.”
“What makes Okereke truly special, though, is how he uses the advantages he creates not just for his own gain, but also for the benefit of his teammates.”
At 6-foot-7, Okereke offers an intriguing combination of size, scoring ability and playmaking that could help him establish a meaningful role with Coachella Valley.
Lakers Re-Acquire Rookie Forward Following Two-Way Roster Shakeup