Jake LaRavia is an option for the New York Knicks if Leon Rose, Walt Perrin and company decide to trade down in the upcoming draft. The New York Knicks could also hold off until the second round to make their move at 42nd pick, however, LaRavia could be long gone before then. Could Jake LaRavia be the ultimate glue guy coming out of college this year? Wake Forest finished this season with a 25-10 overall record, it’s the best record they’ve had since the 2008-09 season when they finished 24-7 overall. Jake LaRavia could most certainly be one of the crucial factors for the program’s winning ways. The Knicks need players who positively influences winning.
The Indiana native is 6’8” in shoes with a strong 227-pound frame and a 6’9.5 wingspan. Surfacing as one of the more productive all-around forwards in the ACC, the 20-year-old averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1 block over 34.2 minutes per game to earn All-ACC second team honors. Jake LaRavia did this while establishing himself as winning NBA prospect.
LaRavia shoots the ball well from outside and has a smooth swift release. LaRavia shot 38% from downtown and 78% from the free throw line this year. After putting on a shooting clinic at the draft combine he seems to have solidified his place as one of the best three point shooters in this draft class.
The 6’8” Indiana native isn’t really a plus athlete in terms of speed and vertical leaping ability, however, he has plenty of base strength and overall power. LaRavia’s plus length and broad shoulders helps him hold his own in the lane. He shows very good positioning and solid lateral agility when guarding in space, plus he’s able to switch onto guards. He might not be an elite defender, however, he definitely won’t be a liability on defense.
His above average three point shooting really opens up his offensive game. He’s able to strongly attack close-outs and has some creativity with the ball when driving into the lane. Jake LaRavia is more of a below the rim player who uses his wide shoulders to carve out space against defenders. Even though LaRavia isn’t a big name prospect, he could turn out to be better than a lot of the well known guys in this years fairly anticipated draft.
The All-ACC second team junior out of Wake Forest is a junior which fits into the kind of experience Tom Thibodeau prefers. Winning players is what the Knicks need and Jake LaRavia definitely checks the box. Hard nosed, good motor, physical, and a high basketball IQ is what the Leon Rose led Knick front office seem to desire.
Cerebro Sports Validates Jake LaRavia During 2022 Microsoft Surface Draft Combine.
Rafael Barlowe of NBABigBoard.com and Locked on NBA pointed out a discussion he had with Cerebro Sports in regards to analytics, metrics, and Jake LaRavia. According to Rafael Barlowe, Cerebro Sports had LaRavia listed as the “best connector” in the draft. The significance of LaRavia being the “best connector” in the draft according to Cerebro Sports is intriguing because according to Barlowe, he signaled LaRavia as the best glue guy in the draft without Cerebro Sports being aware of Barlowe’s knowledge of Jake LaRavia, which basically validates Cerebro Sports analytical system in a positive way. It also validates Jake LaRavia’s solid and winning style of play.
Jake LaRavia could be a smart selection for the Knicks in the second round of the draft, however, many believe LaRavia has solidified himself as a late first round pick. The all-around talent from Wake Forest could easily find himself being drafted to a playoff caliber NBA team in the late first round.
Overall, Leon Rose, Walt Perrin and the Knicks are doing their due diligence and they’ve given no reason to believe they aren’t especially when taking a look at the last two successful drafts. Were there offseason mistakes made, like the Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier signing? Of course, besides, name a front office who haven’t made poor off-season signings. Knick fans should let this front office cook. Improvements are coming to the Knicks and if Jake LaRavia is the necessary selection, it could push the Knicks culture further into a positive direction under Tom Thibodeau. Sometimes the least sexiest draft pick could be the difference in whether a franchise is better on the basketball court instead of only being better on paper.
