Malik Newman was not selected in the NBA draft Thursday night, but that hardly means he wasn’t wanted by the league.

The former Callaway High School and Kansas star signed a two-way developmental contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

The contract is primarily with the Lakers’ G-League affiliate the South Bay Lakers in El Segundo, Calif. It provides the opportunity for him to be called up to the Los Angeles Lakers for a maximum of 45 days during the 2018-19 NBA season.

Newman is also expected to play with the Lakers’ summer league team next month in Las Vegas.

Newman, a Jackson native, led Callaway to four consecutive state championships and is widely considered one of the best high school players to come from Mississippi. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard signed with Mississippi State but transferred to Kansas after only one season in Starkville.

He declared for the NBA draft after one season at Kansas. He salvaged a so-so season with a strong stretch run and NCAA Tournament, scoring 20 or more points in six of the Jayhawks’ last eight games as they won the Big 12 championship and reached the Final Four.
Newman was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Regional.

Newman finished his season averaging 14.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, shooting 46.3 percent from the field, and 41.5 percent from 3-point range.