Rohan Ramadas is a 'literal rocket' scientist and the Lakers just hired him

Rohan Ramadas is a 'literal rocket' scientist and the Lakers just hired him originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager under president Rob Pelinka, ESPN's Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin reported Monday. Ramadas spent the last two years with the New Orleans Pelicans, most recently as vice president of strategy and operations.

Before the NBA, he spent over a decade with the Aerospace Corporation working on rocket guidance, navigation, control, and mission design for U.S. Space Force and NASA. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in astronautical engineering from USC.

"He's a literal rocket scientist," a Pelicans source told ESPN.

What Ramadas was brought in to do and how it fits Pelinka's front office rebuild

The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring former New Orleans Pelicans vice president of strategy and operations Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager under president Rob Pelinka, sources tell me and @mcten. The Lakers have interviewed candidates to bolster their front office.— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2026

Pelinka spelled out the role at his end-of-season news conference. He said he planned to hire two assistant general managers, one focused on player evaluation and scouting, and one handling cap, analytics, and data. He has fills the second seat.

He joined New Orleans in September 2024 as senior director of analytics and innovation before being promoted to VP after one year. He had also worked with the franchise for eight years prior as an analytics consultant, and spent the 2016-17 season as a draft analyst with the Miami Heat.

I can confirm the Lakers have hired Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager. Ramadas worked for the New Orleans Pelicans the past two seasons in strategy and has a background in aerospace. Regarded as very smart by people in the league who know him.— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 25, 2026

Dan Woike of The Athletic confirmed the hire and added that Ramadas is "regarded as very smart by people in the league who know him." 

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