The Los Angeles Lakers did not make any selections in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, but they did pick up a couple of interesting players on Wednesday. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported that the Lakers have agreed to a two-way contract with MAC Player of the Year Peter Suder.
Suder began his college career at Bellarmine in 2022 and then transferred to Miami (Ohio) in 2024. The 22-year-old averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game as a senior, while shooting 54.6% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc.
Suder led the RedHawks to a perfect 31-0 regular-season record in 2025-26. They were the first men’s basketball team to finish a Division I regular season undefeated since Gonzaga did it in 2021.
Miami (Ohio) made it to the NCAA tournament after taking down SMU in the First Four and faced Tennessee in the first round. They would lose 78-56, but Suder certainly wasn’t to blame, as he racked up 27 points. There is a lot to like here.
Welcome to the Los Angeles Lakers, Peter Suder.
• 6’4”, 215 lbs
• MAC Player of the Year
• 14.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.0 APG
• 42.1% from three
• 54.6% from the field
• Led Miami (OH) to a 31-0 regular season record pic.twitter.com/1TLAG7oKBL
— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) June 25, 2026
Suder, who was listed 6’3.75” without shoes and 213 pounds at the combine, is a pretty good shooter, can score off the dribble, and is a solid playmaker. He isn’t a great athlete, though, and there are concerns defensively.
Athleticism and defense aren’t concerns when it comes to the other prospect the Lakers signed on a two-way contract on Wednesday. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that they had agreed to a deal with AK Okereke, who played three seasons at Cornell before transferring to Vanderbilt.
The 6’7″ Okereke averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game as a senior for the Commodores, while shooting 48.1% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc. He’d only shot 31.7% from three at Cornell, so this was a noticeable jump. If Okereke can shoot anywhere near that well in the NBA, he’ll be around for a while.
Welcome to the Los Angeles Lakers AK Okereke
– 6’7 244 lbs
– 40% 3PT 61.6% at the Rim 28.5 AST%
– 95th Percentile in isolation 94th on post-ups and 93rd on pick-and-roll scoring
NBA ready frame and IQ with the tools to be a versatile two-way wing https://t.co/fsJ9ZIEEv9 pic.twitter.com/tVubnIF1kb
— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) June 25, 2026
Lastly, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers also signed William Kyle III on an Exhibit 10 deal. Kyle spent time at South Dakota State and UCLA before transferring to Syracuse. The 6’9″ forward averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game for the Orange as a senior.
Kyle is a great rim-runner, lob threat, and shot blocker. He can’t shoot, though, and isn’t a post scorer either. Kyle has to be fed the ball around the rim, but the Lakers do have Luka Doncic to do just that. So, he is one to keep an eye on.
We’ll get to see Suder, Okereke, and Kyle in action in the Summer League. They’ll be keen to make an impression and take their first steps towards getting a standard NBA contract.
