Jake LaRavia is a young, durable role-playing forward for the Los Angeles Lakers. Drafted 19th in 2022 out of Wake Forest (via Indiana State), he spent his early career in Memphis and Sacramento before signing with the Lakers in 2025 free agency. He played all 82 games in 2025-26 as a connective forward with shooting and size.
Model lines LaRavia at 8.2 pts (range 5.5–10.9) vs a 8 line — a lean to clear it (53%).
Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.
A durable, do-a-bit-of-everything forward — depth and shooting for the Lakers.
Raised in Indianapolis, LaRavia starred at Wake Forest (via Indiana State) and was drafted 19th in 2022 (Minnesota, rights to Memphis).
After Memphis and Sacramento, he signed with the Lakers in 2025 free agency.
He played all 82 games in 2025-26 as a connective forward with shooting and size.
A durable, connective role forward — a first-round bet giving the Lakers depth and shooting.
Jacob Glen LaRavia was born in Pasadena, California and raised in Indianapolis, playing at Indiana State before transferring to Wake Forest, where he made second-team All-ACC and posted a 31-point, 10-rebound game against North Carolina. Minnesota drafted him 19th in 2022 and traded his rights to Memphis.
After stints with the Grizzlies and Sacramento, he signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Lakers in 2025 free agency. He played all 82 games in 2025-26 as a connective forward — enough shooting to space the floor and enough size to defend multiple positions.
Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.
LaRavia's family moved from Pasadena to Indianapolis when he was five, and he grew into an Indiana high-school standout before a two-school college path from Indiana State to Wake Forest. His game reflects that steady development — a self-made, versatile forward who does a bit of everything.
On the court his value is connective and durable: he shoots well enough to space, passes, and defends multiple positions, availability being a real asset (all 82 games in 2025-26). For a top-heavy Lakers roster, that kind of low-cost, plug-in forward depth matters.
A durable, connective role forward — shooting, passing, and positional size.
Connective depth
LaRavia's value is availability and versatility — a forward who spaces the floor, moves the ball, and defends multiple positions, playing all 82 games in 2025-26. On a Lakers roster leaning on aging stars, cheap, durable, connective forward depth is exactly the kind of complementary piece that keeps a rotation afloat.
Per game
| Season | GP | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 82 | 25.1 | 8.2 | 4.0 | 1.8 | .459 | .321 |
Source: Basketball-Reference.
Where he sits in history
Hardware
A durable, connective role forward on a value deal — depth for the Lakers.
On a two-year, $12 million deal, LaRavia gives Los Angeles availability, shooting, and positional size off the bench. His connective, durable profile is useful complementary depth around the stars.
Contract
A durable, connective forward who played all 82. Cheap, versatile depth — the kind of low-cost glue a top-heavy Lakers roster needs.
Indiana State, then Wake Forest, where he made second-team All-ACC before being drafted 19th in 2022.
He signed a two-year, $12 million free-agent deal in 2025 after stints with Memphis and Sacramento.