Kansas Jayhawks alum Malik Newman did not hear his name get called Thursday night during the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, but he’s not ending the day without a contract either. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, the former Jayhawks shooting guard has agreed to a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sources: Undrafted Kansas guard Malik Newman has agreed to a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2018
Before playing in Kansas, Malik Newman spent his first season in the SEC with the Mississippi State Bulldogs as a freshman. Upon transfer to Lawrence, he sat out one year before emerging as one of the best offensive weapons for Bill Self’s team. He averaged 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season for Kansas while also shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from downtown.
Newman decided to declare for the draft following a terrific string of performances in the NCAA National Tournament in which he put up 24.5 points in four games from the second round until the Final Four round. Not one game boosted his stock more as an NBA prospect than the meeting with Duke in the Elite Eight round, where he scored 32 points (13 in overtime) with five 3-pointers and seven assists.
Other than Newman, the Lakers also got Mo Wagner of Michigan and Newman’s teammate in Kansas, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk.
With a two-way contract, Newman is expected to spend most of his rookie season playing for the South Bay Lakers in the G League.
Follow Us
Subscribe