SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former Cornell men's basketball standout Chris Manon took another historic step on Sunday night, making his NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 127-120 victory over the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center.

The 6-foot-6 swingman checked in during the midway point of the third quarter, grabbing a rebound and recording a blocked shot in two minutes of action as the Lakers improved to 2-1 on the young season. Manon, who signed a two-way contract with Los Angeles earlier this summer, became the fifth former Cornell player to appear in an NBA game - and the first in more than a decade.

Manon's debut marks the latest chapter in a remarkable journey that began in Ithaca, where he established himself as one of the most versatile and dynamic players in Big Red history. A first-team All-Ivy and NABC All-District selection in 2023-24, Manon led Cornell to three straight Ivy Madness appearances, an Ivy League runner-up finish and the program's first NIT berth.

He graduated as Cornell's career leader in steals per game (2.08) and ranked second all-time in total steals (173), while finishing among the top 10 in both field goal percentage (.535) and dunks (45). Manon was named MVP of the Jacksonville Classic Bay Bracket in 2023 and earned multiple Ivy League weekly honors during his career.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Cornell, Manon transferred to Vanderbilt as a graduate student, then impressed NBA scouts during the NBA 2K26 Summer League with the Golden State Warriors - averaging 11.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game on 50 percent shooting. His standout performances caught the attention of the Lakers' front office, who brought him on under a two-way deal allowing him to split time between Los Angeles and the G League's South Bay Lakers.

Manon joins Nat Militzok, Gene Berce, Ed Peterson and Jeff Foote '10 as former Big Red players to play in the NBA.