“My dad’s super excited. He grew up here … he was a big fan of Magic growing up, so when he got the news, he was on the verge of tears,” said Jake LaRavia in his first press conference as a Lakers player. The 23-year-old’s career has taken several turns over the last few years. He was acquired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2022 NBA Draft, immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, alternated between the main league and the G-League, and then traded to the Sacramento Kings. The trade to the Lakers hasn’t been considered an improvement, since Yahoo Sports’ Ben Rohrbach called LaRavia’s contract one of the worst of the summer. However, it’s all worth it if he gets to play for the team that his father idolizes so much, right?
The NBA world is slowly getting to learn more about the 23-year-old power forward/small forward. Therefore, let us add to our knowledge bank by getting to know more about LaRavia’s family.
Who is Jake LaRavia’s father?
Jake LaRavia’s father, aka the ‘Magic Johnson’ fan, is Jeff. As highlighted by the now Lakers star, LaRavia Sr. grew up in Pasadena, located just 10.4 miles away from the city of Los Angeles. Pasadena also happens to be the place where Jake and his siblings were born. However, when the future NBA player was just 5 years old, the family shifted from Pasadena to Indianapolis.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Jeff attended Ambassador College, a former university located in Pasadena. Currently, he serves as the Vice President of Information Technology for ‘Nutrition 101, LLC’, a company known for reportedly developing innovative solutions for the food processing life cycle.
Who is Jake LaRavia’s mother?
Jake LaRavia’s mother is named Becky. According to her LinkedIn profile, she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Theology/Theological Studies from Ambassador College. Given that Jeff also attended the same college, there is a good chance the couple met there. Becky was also involved in sports from a young age, as she played Intercollegiate Volleyball and Intercollegiate Basketball. Over the years, she has worked with several big-name companies like McKinsey & Company and Nestle.
When Adam Silver announced Jake’s name in the 2022 NBA Draft, tears instantly came to him when he hugged his mom. When asked if the first hug after being drafted went to Mom, Jake said, “Always. Always. I was going to search for her in the crowd, wherever she was.”
How did Jake LaRavia’s parents influence his basketball path?
Jeff was constantly remained an important part of his son’s basketball journey. He didn’t mind when Jake was taken in by the Memphis Grizzlies since, as he recalled, “We knew Memphis was in play. He was on a short list for all of those teams from 20 to 30. He liked Memphis because they are a young team and he will fit with their program. I think they will just take off.” Despite that, as mentioned above, he was elated when Jake signed a 2-year, $12 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The same team that not only boasted once having Magic Johnson on its roster but also other legends like Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, etc., one can say that Jeff’s interest in the Lakers fandom played a major role in influencing Jake’s mind to join the LA-based franchise! After all, growing up in Indianapolis, Jake would not have been influenced by the Purple & Gold as much as Jeff LaRavia.
Back in July 2022, Jake highlighted a video on his official Instagram account focusing on his draft. Jeff used that chance to reveal how he and Becky “knew early on that he would play pro. I think he said that even to friends, family, from the time he was in maybe middle-school. He’s going to play pro, whether it was the NBA, we weren’t sure”.
Knowing their son’s determination allowed Jeff and Becky to provide any support Jake needed to make his dream a reality. He certainly wouldn’t be standing as a high-IQ, two-way player if that support was missing.
With tickets for any Lakers games, Jeff LaRavia would be on top of the world right now. The only feeling that could top that is if the Lakers win a championship while Jake is a part of the roster. Therefore, to make that dream a reality, Jake better not miss a chance to make a memorable mark alongside LeBron James and co.
The post Who Are Jake LaRavia’s Parents? Meet His Father Jeff and Mother Becky LaRavia appeared first on EssentiallySports.
