The Los Angeles Lakers have dealt with a ton of injuries throughout the 2025-26 season, forcing head coach JJ Redick to constantly change his lineups and rotations. One constant throughout it all, however, has been defensive wing Jake LaRavia.
LaRavia was the only player on the team to play in all 82 games this season, becoming the 45th player in franchise history to accomplish the feat and the first since Austin Reaves in the 2023-24 season. And he was very proud of the accomplishment, calling it one of his biggest goals at the start of the season.
“Extremely. It was probably my biggest goal at the beginning of the season,” LaRavia said after the Lakers’ victory over the Utah Jazz. “Just kind of how the first three seasons went, I just wanted to have a healthy, consistent, reliable year and I was able to make that happen. So, I’m very excited about that.”
LaRavia appeared in just 35 games in each of his first two NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and then played in 66 games last season with the Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. So to not miss a game in his fourth season, LaRavia feels that it takes a certain mindset, as well as some luck.
“Yeah, it’s a mindset, I would say,” LaRavia added. “It’s a bit of a mindset and it’s a bit of lucky, obviously. Uncontrollable injuries happen. But there are some little knick-knack injuries that you have to play through to be able to get through that. So it’s part mindset, part luck, and I was just able to make it through and get all 82.”
LaRavia has been one of the most reliable players on the entire roster this season. While he didn’t shoot the ball as well as he would’ve liked, LaRavia regularly made an impact with his defense and energy and was able to fit into any lineup, earning the trust of Redick.
Now with the playoffs around the corner, LaRavia will undoubtedly be one of the most important pieces on the Lakers as they try and make a run, despite the injury challenges they are faced with.
JJ Redick discusses Lakers’ first-round matchup with Rockets
The Lakers were able to win their last three games of the season and hold on to the fourth seed meaning they will host the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. And following the conclusion of the regular season, Redick gave his initial thoughts on the matchup.
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