When you're a team like the Los Angeles Lakers that has three superheroes in Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, it's rare for there to be real 'unsung heroes.' But that is exactly what Jake LaRavia has been all season for the Lake Show.
The counting stats would never tell you, and the highlights would rarely show you, but if you really sit down and watch all 48 minutes every time the Lakers play, you'd know just how important LaRavia has been.
When Rob Pelinka signed the former Memphis Grizzlies first-round pick this offseason, there were mixed reactions. Some felt it was a high-upside swing—others asked themselves, 'Who?' But the real hoop heads knew this was a home run move.
Since the 2020 championship team, LA has lacked glue guys, those players that dive for loose balls, fight on the offensive glass, make the extra pass, and occasionally create their own offense. That is exactly what LaRavia has been. Every single game, he goes out there to competes and fight. While it isn't always pretty, his gritty style impacts winning for the Lakers.
Jake LaRavia is becoming the Lakers' ultimate glue guy
LA recently picked up two of its biggest wins of the season, beating the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves. In both of these wins, the Lakers had no LeBron, so there was a desire for someone to step up on the wing. LaRavia was that guy.
He was aggressive defensively from the point of attack, got the ball moving as a playmaker, fought for rebounds, and just made winning plays. Having someone that head coach JJ Redick can call on and know that, no matter what, he's getting 110 percent effort is something this Lakers team needs come playoff time.
It's also worth noting that during this two-game stretch for LA, LaRavia had the fourth-highest plus-minus on the team, with a +21. The only players ahead of him were Doncic, Reaves, and Marcus Smart, the last of whom we all know is the king of impacting the game in a way that doesn't show up in the box score.
Yeah, Twitter was clowning him for a badly missed layup in that Minnesota game, and the reaction was understandable. But that was also just one play from a 24-year-old who's only in his fourth year in the league and is still learning. Let's give him some grace.
Jake Laravia is NOT an NBA player bro 😠pic.twitter.com/xmgT14y5Or
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 11, 2026
In the modern NBA, being a role player, especially as a wing, is often about being 3-and-D. That doesn't mean the Lakers should undervalue LaRavia.
He's been a below-average 3-point shooter this season, but shooting has been a problem for LA all year. That doesn't mean all the other great things he does on the basketball court should be overlooked.
The casual fan may never understand what makes LaRavia such a valuable piece. The true die-hards already know.