Jake LaRavia was the hero and the goat during the 2025-26 NBA season. He stepped in to provide invaluable minutes for a Los Angeles Lakers team that was ravaged by injuries, but fell apart in the playoffs as his lackluster jump shot proved too significant to overcome.
Though it's only preseason, LaRavia has looked like a genuine sharpshooter for the Lakers since the 2026-27 campaign took hold.
The Lakers had high hopes for LaRavia's jump shot after he buried 42.3 percent of his 142 attempts in 2024-25. Unfortunately, he shot just 32.1 percent in 2025-26 and fell to 28.6 percent during the playoffs. As a result, LaRavia went from playing 25.1 regular season minutes per game to 14.3 during the postseason.
Following the Lakers' most recent preseason game, Austin Reaves explained that LaRavia took his shortcomings to heart and committed to becoming "one of the best shooters on this team."
"He just told me, he was like, 'I'm gonna get in the gym. I'm gonna be one of the best shooters on this team.' I think right now he's probably shooting 80% from three. So, he did that."
Though it's only the preseason, LaRavia is putting his money where his mouth is and shooting with the type of volume and efficiency that Los Angeles dreamed of when it signed him in 2025.
Jake LaRavia is shooting well, becoming the ultimate glue guy for Lakers
LaRavia began the 2026 preseason by posting 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals in 21 minutes. He shot 5-of-6 from the field and, more importantly, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. It was an early sign of how hard he's worked to improve his shooting.
The next time out, LaRavia tallied nine points, three rebounds, one assist, three steals, and a block in 22 minutes. This time, he shot 1-of-2 from distance.
When the Lakers' third preseason game rolled around, LaRavia turned up the volume. He posted 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, one block, and a steal in 24 minutes. Once again, he shot the lights out: 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range.
No one should be writing dissertations about how LaRavia has fixed a flaw after just three preseason games, but it's not too soon to notice how the work he's put in is beginning to pay off—or how it's further proof that writing him off after just one season was, at best, premature.
Jake LaRavia does a little bit of everything for the Lakers
It's also important to note how important LaRavia finding his jumper is. He isn't just another player on the roster. He played all 82 games for the Lakers in 2025-26, selflessly shuffled in and out of the starting lineup based on who was available and who wasn't without as much as a complaint, and functioned as a pivotal contributor in every area but shooting.
That includes the fact that LaRavia defended almost every position on the court. Per Basketball Index, he ranked in the 94th percentile in defensive positional versatility in 2025-26.
In addition to taking on players at multiple positions, LaRavia accepted tough assignments. That's reflected in how he ranked in the 88th percentile in matchup difficulty. As if that weren't enough, he finished in the 77th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 85th percentile in post defense, and the 92nd percentile in off-ball chaser defense.
Throw in the fact that LaRavia averaged 2.5 assists, 2.0 offensive rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per 36 minutes, and he did a little bit of everything for the Lakers.
If he can sustain that level of play while improving his jump shot, LaRavia could be the epitome of a glue guy. He has an uncanny ability to make the right play when the Lakers need it most, and with a working jumper, he can eliminate the one phase of the game teams can still exploit him in.
It's only preseason, but as Reaves tells it, LaRavia's efficient shooting is the product of the commitment he made to erase his weakness. In turn, he's proving it was too soon to write him off.
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