Jake LaRavia Breaks Down Lakers’ Pregame Ritual

Feb 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Feb 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Jake LaRavia Breaks Down Lakers’ Pregame Ritual

Originally posted on Lakers Nation | By Corey Hansford | Last updated Apr 17, 2026 2:30 PM ET

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One thing that has been apparent to anyone watching the Los Angeles Lakers this season is that this team has excellent chemistry and camaraderie with one another. From the star players down to the last man on the bench, everyone is locked in together, cheering each other on and being extremely supportive both on and off the court.

This also extends to the team’s pregame ritual, which has a ton of steps and involves multiple players on the team. And wing Jake LaRavia broke down everything that goes into the Lakers’ pregame ritual, which went viral multiple times this season, via NBA on X:

"Alright so first, LeBron is just going to throw the ball up in the air as high as he can."

Jake LaRavia breaks down the Lakers' pregame ritual

LAL faces off against HOU in Round 1 starting Saturday at 8:30pm/et on ABC! pic.twitter.com/o3lFVrgufa

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026

The first thing that stands out about this ritual is just how many steps there are and the number of players involved. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber and Rui Hachimura all play their part in getting things off to a good start.

The initial tossing of the ball in the air and full team “drop” is basic enough, as is Knecht knocking down a 3-pointer from the wing. Reaves making a finger roll from the 3-point line is far from easy, however, and the same goes for the James baseline hook. And the craziest part might be the fact that if no one makes the shot, they start it over again from the beginning.

Overall, it may look like a pretty silly thing that isn’t important to the success of the Lakers, but it keeps the team loose as they are getting ready and allows for everyone to lock in as they know it is time to take care of business. And considering the Lakers’ record this season, the extensive pregame ritual is gonna have to keep going into the playoffs.

Jake LaRavia proud of playing all 82 games this season for Lakers

The Lakers signed LaRavia this offseason and the wing has had his ups and downs, but overall has been a positive for this team. One thing that was extremely important for LaRavia was being available as he has dealt with injuries in the past couple years and he wound up being the only player on the Lakers to play in every game this season, a goal of his that he was proud to accomplish.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Lakers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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