A former Michigan guard has signed with the Los Angeles Lakers to fill the NBA team’s 15th roster spot.
Kobe Bufkin, a star in the NBA’s developmental G League, inked a two-year, league-minimum contract with the Lakers, [the team announced on Sunday](https://x.com/Lakers/status/2020658980297822700).
Bufkin, 22, will finish out the 2025-26 season with the Lakers, who hold a team option for him in 2026-27, according to ESPN.
According to Spotrac, Bufkin is set to collect more than $3.3 million as part of the signing.
A former first-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks, Bufkin has appeared in 31 games over three NBA seasons with the Hawks and Lakers. He signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers in January, averaging 3 points and 1.3 rebounds in four games. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native also signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies back in November.
Otherwise, Bufkin has spent a majority of the season in the G League, where he’s starred for the Lakers’ affiliate South Bay. In 14 games, Bufkin has averaged 27.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds.
Last year, in 14 games for the College Park Skyhawks, the Atlanta Hawks’ G League affiliate, Bufkin averaged 23.6 points, 5.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds.
Bufkin played two seasons at Michigan, where he earned third-team all-Big Ten honors in 2022-23, averaging 14 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
He was the Hawks’ 15th overall pick in 2023, appearing in 17 games during his rookie season. Bufkin was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in September and waived about a month later.