LOS ANGELES – Last season did not end the way Jake LaRavia wanted to in his first year with the Los Angeles Lakers. He started off strong, including a stretch of three games, all Lakers wins, where he scored 20+ points in two of those matchups. Bt as the season went on, LaRavia’s shot eluded him and he was ultimately benched during the team’s playoff series loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Back during Lakers’ Media Day, Jake LaRavia admitted that he allowed his struggles to get to him, and that a big part of this season involved a mental reset. He signed a two-year contract with the organization last offseason, and head coach JJ Redick is counting on him to be an integral part of the rotation.

One of the major points of emphasis the former West Virginia standout worked on over the summer was tweaking his jump shot. With a more confident stroke, LaRavia’s comfort level and confidence are high as the 2026-27 season has gotten underway.

“I’m very comfortable in who I am as a basketball player, and I feel very comfortable with the ball in my hands. I just feel like I’m the type of player where it’s like you can kind of just plug and play me wherever I’m needed,” LaRavia said after Lakers’ shootaround on Oct. 21. “I can kind of do whatever role. If I have to be a little more on ball, well I’m comfortable with that.”

Most of LaRavia’s offense contributions come off movement. He makes strong cuts to the basket and is rewarded with passes from his teammates. He spots up at the 3-point line and makes defenses pay for leaving him open to help. Through the preseason, LaRavia was shooting 53.3 percent from distance.

In the Lakers’ season-opening win against the Golden State Warriors, he was 2-of-3 from 3-point range. He suffered an ankle injury about midway through the fourth quarter and missed the team’s win against the LA Clippers last Friday. However, he was cleared to return shortly thereafter.

For Redick, the most impressive thing to him regarding LaRavia’s approach to this season was his focus in the summer on identifying what he needed to work on and attacking that head on.

“He’s really been intentional and proactive about that … It’s no different than working on a skill on the court and trying to improve something on the court,” Redick said during his pregame press conference prior to the Lakers’ game against the Clippers. “I think there’s a lot of strength and courage to come off a season where for the first time in his career, he was in the lineup for all 82 games and started games for us and was a big part of winning 53 games.

“And then he didn’t like the way the season ended, and recognized, ‘I got to get better at these things, and he worked on it. He was very proactive all summer. It’s not a common thing that guys really go after that the way he did.”

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LaRavia ended the playoffs last year averaging 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting only 33.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from the 3-point line. The Lakers played a total of 10 playoff games, and he was not in rotation for the final two games of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The most noticeable change in LaRavia’s game this year is his shooting motion. He’s changed it slightly and it’s evident when watching him hoist up shots. Throughout his five-year career thus far, he’s always been a reliable 3-points threat with a career average of 35.3 percent.

One of the most important things the Lakers need from him is consistent 3-point shooting, and that’s why he put in the required work in the offseason, even if that meant changing something that’s been routine to him. He understands completely what his role is for this team, and he’s ready to play it to perfection.

“For me personally, just continue to do my role off the bench,” LaRavia said. “Being an energy guy, coming in and being a physical defender, knocking down threes, creating extra possessions for the team and being a guy that kind of does a little bit of everything.”