If you listen closely enough to the Los Angeles Lakers at Media Day and training camp, the name Jake LaRavia will come up often. There is good reason for that. The Lakers' first free agent signing of the offseason is quietly positioning himself to be the next hidden gem discovered by Los Angeles.
Zach Lowe pointed out just how much LaRavia has caught the attention of everyone behind the scenes. The NBA analyst talked about it on a recent episode of The Zach Lowe Show. Lowe claimed that people were 'raving' about the former Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings forward.
There was further evidence of this when the Lakers players took the podium on Sep. 29. LeBron James ensured LaRavia was mentioned among the big offseason acquisitions for the Lakers. Austin Reaves gave a strong prediction towards how 'really, really, really good' this upcoming season should be for him.
LeBron James makes sure to include Jake LaRavia after the reporter forgets to mention him. pic.twitter.com/6EcqgrNhFM
— Showtime Luka (@showtimeluka) September 29, 2025
The closer the NBA calendar moves to the start of the season, the more it feels like Rob Pelinka knew exactly what he was doing when LaRavia was prioritized at the start of free agency. The anticipation of a breakout season is quickly growing.
Jake LaRavia quietly turning heads in Lakers organization
LaRavia arrives in Los Angeles after his most efficient offensive season in the NBA. In 2024-25, the two-way wing found his 3-point stroke, knocking down 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. That helped him averaged 6.9 points per game with a true shooting percentage of 59.1.
LaRavia had a proven track record last season of boosting the units he played with. His time with the Grizzlies showcased higher offensive and defensive ratings for the team in 2024-25 when the two-way man was on the court.
The defensive impact will undoubtedly be there. The offensive production should only improve playing with Luka Doncic. The 23-year-old highlighted that, himself, at training camp answering a question from LoJo Media.
LaRavia said, "[I'm] still getting used to obviously playing with Luka. It’s my first time being on the same side as him, but it’s going to make my life so much easier playing with someone like that.”
Doncic has been a maestro at creating easy scoring opportunities for his teammates since debuting in the NBA. LaRavia is set to be the next major recipient of the looks created by the dynamic offensive engine.
By the end of the 2025-26 campaign, it should not surprise anyone to have a new fan favorite in Los Angeles. Given the upside of LaRavia with this unit, his path to becoming more of a household name is an easy one.