Playing in his fifth NBA season, Jake LaRavia apparently had to make a name for himself Wednesday night in the Lakers’ 116–115 win over the Timberwolves.

LaRavia definitely made an impression, going off for a season-high 27 points on 10-of-11 shooting (and 5-of-6 from three-point range). But not everybody at Target Center knew who he was—including those watching on the bench.

Early in the fourth quarter, as Timberwolves forward Julius Randle shot a pair of free throws, LaRavia grabbed the attention of a fan in the stands. He had just nailed his fifth three-pointer of the night on the previous possession.

“Who is No. 12?” a bewildered Timberwolves fan shouted from the bleachers.

Anthony Edwards, sidelined with a hamstring injury, didn’t miss a beat. He stretched out his arms and hollered, “That’s what I’m saying! I don’t know!”

Once that clip went viral on social media, LaRavia saw it himself after the game and posted it to his Instagram story with the caption, “Cap.”

LaRavia and the Lakers were up by as many as 20 points Wednesday night, but the Timberwolves stormed back and went on a 24–7 run in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to take the lead with 10 seconds to play. Austin Reaves, however, played hero Wednesday night, swishing a floater in the paint as time expired for the 116–115 win.

So, who is Jake LaRavia?

Funny enough, LaRavia was actually selected by the Timberwolves with the No. 19 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was traded to the Grizzlies in exchange for the No. 22 and No. 29 picks on draft night.

LaRavia spent two-and-a-half seasons in Memphis before he was sent to the Kings last February as part of a three-team trade. He signed a two-year deal worth $12 million in free agency with the Lakers in June.

In 141 career games, LaRavia is averaging 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest while shooting 43.3% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range. His 27 points Wednesday night was the fourth-highest total of his career, and five points behind his all-time best 32 points against the Cavaliers on April 10, 2024.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Anthony Edwards Had No Idea Who Lakers Player Was As He Torched the Timberwolves.

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