Jake LaRavia: 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report

LaRavia may have gotten a promise at the NBA Draft combine. Let's get to know the late-riser from Wake Forest and how his game translates to the NBA

Another day, another late riser.

Jake LaRavia is another Indiana kid who comes into the pre-draft process slightly unheralded but seems to know ball. The high feel, shooting wing with defensive chops mold is a very valuable one, and there are plenty of NBA players who fill it that once flew under the radar.

Most balanced, well-rounded role players tend to be guys who don’t necessarily have one go-to skill in the NBA. We like the security in knowing exactly where that comes from.

LaRavia’s late rise on the workout circuit is a little bit about the draft space starting to pay attention to him and a lot due to him continuing to prove that he has that go-to trait to earn minutes: his spot-up shooting.

This year, LaRavia averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and over 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 38% from 3. The list of other NBA players to hit those same feats is astoundingly impressive:

Here’s the catch: the 3-point shooting was efficient but not on insanely high volume. He only attempted 2.2 triples a game, with less than a quarter of his field goals coming from behind the arc. Such an attempt rate doesn’t typically scream “this guy will be a fantastic 3-point shooter in the NBA.”

Watch LaRavia shoot the ball and it’s clear he’s a really gifted shooter. He has fantastic touch, effortless form and is really consistent. Nothing about his game points to legitimate NBA-caliber athleticism, and at 6’9” he gets by more on length and craftiness than power or burst. He’s the current, modern version of an NBA stretch-4. He’s mobile enough and quick enough to guard on the perimeter in some doses; the position is evolving to require exterior defense as opposed to interior defense.

The shooting needs to become much higher volume for LaRavia to make it in the NBA. There are plenty of indicators there about his shot being legitimate enough to sustain that rise in volume. But there’s also risk involved, and this late in the draft process, once the hype train leaves the station, it’s hard to slow down.

There’s a lot to like about LaRavia’s offense and we believe he’s definitely deserving of the added attention over the last month. He flew under the radar quite a bit, even by our own standards. But his role as more of a playmaker than a shooter in college won’t last for NBA impact. Any drafting team needs to feel very comfortable in his shooting consistency and versatility (pick-and-pops, off screens, etc.) in order to justify a first-round grade.

There’s also a great deal of statistical production for a 6’9” big wing on the defensive end. It’s made him stand out from the competition of other potential role players. But it’s also more built on his activity off-ball than anything he accomplishes on-ball.