The first three days of Lakers training camp have already given Jake LaRavia a strong impression, and he didn’t hesitate to say so after practice on Day 3.
“This has been a very physical, competitive, and intense training camp. I think it’s been the best one that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been in the league. This third day just really put a stamp on what we’ve been doing.”
That kind of reaction matters because LaRavia has been around the league for four years. He was asked to explain what stood out, and he pointed to the way the group has come together.
“Just, I feel like, how committed everyone is. Obviously, this is a very new group of people on this team, and it just seems everyone is committed to the same goal. RP and JJ kind of talked to us about what they’re wanting from us this year, and I feel like everyone’s bought in and willing to sacrifice for us to succeed.”
For the Lakers, that’s the whole point of this camp: building chemistry, getting the conditioning right, and locking in on a new style of play after an offseason full of trade and free agent movement. There’s plenty of change in the room, but through three days, the early signs have been encouraging.
The tone LaRavia described lines up with what Ziaire Williams is seeing too. He said the Lakers’ environment feels different from what he’s experienced before, and he made it clear that the standard inside the building is part of that.
“It’s a little different for sure. This is a winning culture, a winning team, a team that has high standards, so it’s a little different. Guys are more experienced in the league, so it’s less teaching and more concepts and schemes, versus in Brooklyn, where there were eight rookies or teenagers on the team, so it was a lot more teaching.”
Williams also said the transition has been smooth for him personally.
“Training camp here has been great. I’m comfortable.
The guys have helped me work my way in and feel like I belong. I’m happy where we’re at and just got to keep building.”
That’s been part of the early takeaway from camp: this group may be new, but it isn’t starting from scratch in the same way a younger roster would. With more experience on hand, the Lakers can spend more time on the offensive ideas and defensive details they want to install, rather than teaching basics.
And with the roster still taking shape around new faces and defined roles, the message from camp so far is pretty clear. The Lakers are trying to make sacrifice and buy-in the backbone of what comes next.
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