Evaluating Jake LaRavia, Tari Eason, and Darius Days

May 8^th, 2022

By Alan Lu

Recently, Jake LaRavia has been receiving significant draft buzz, as he is a very productive junior forward that recently entered the NBA draft, and he is one of the youngest juniors in the country, as he is just 20 years old.  I decided to take the time to watch him play for Wake Forest in an early season game against LSU that took place on November 27^th, with thanks to YouTube via The Draftmatic.  This presented a good opportunity to watch him play, because he also was matched up against two high-quality forwards in Tari Eason, a first round prospect, and in Darius Days, a versatile 6-7 forward that can do a little bit of everything.  Here are my thoughts on LaRavia, Eason, and the other top performers that played in this game on this day.

Jake LaRavia had a strong showing in his team’s loss to LSU.  He is a skilled, high-motor combo forward that made sound plays on both ends of the floor, and he also showed off more athleticism than previously thought. LaRavia showed a knack for making open, spot-up threes off the catch.  He did a great job of knocking down threes from beyond the arc.  He also would’ve made a movement three in transition, but that didn’t count because his teammate was called for stepping out of bounds that time.

He also thrived at scoring on hustle plays.  LaRavia was able to run the floor to score on fast breaks, and he also caught a lob to score on an impressive, alley-oop dunk once due to possessing good hands and a better than advertised leaping ability.  He also managed to score on a powerful dunk off of a backdoor cut.  He also would find ways to get fouled when he would look to score off the dribble as well as out of the post.  He also dribbled in to take a pull-up, mid-range jumper, but he missed awkwardly, as he was off-balanced and took a very tough shot that time.

Also, LaRavia showcased adequate playmaking skills.  He is a very unselfish player that will make passes off the dribble and out of the post, and he can make a variety of passes to find the open man.  He also was able to set an on-ball screen to help a teammate get an open jump shot.  However, he also had trouble handling the ball when pressured, which led him to commit a couple of ball-handling turnovers.  He had a ball ripped away from him when driving to the hoop once.  He also tried to do a behind-the-back crossover move when bringing the ball up in the backcourt, but then had the ball poked away immediately afterwards.

He also showed off solid rebounding skills.  LaRavia was able to haul in multiple boards on both ends of the floor, and he especially showed a knack for grabbing offensive rebounds due to possessing a good motor.  He also played adequate defense.  LaRavia showed a knack for poking balls away from opposing ball handlers to help his team get steals, and he also deflected a pass to help his team force a shot clock violation another time.  He would use his length to contest threes to force misses.  He also would look to play angles when defending opposing ball-handlers, and he was able to contest a shot off of a drive to force a miss.  On the downside, he had some trouble defending off the dribble and in the post.  He would get beat on moves, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.  Another time, he didn’t show much resistance when defending in the post, as he also didn’t actively contest the shot and allowed the score.  Other times, he can sometimes be caught ball watching or may be late on his rotations when he would defend off the ball.

In general, Jake LaRavia played very well in this game, and he is a skilled combo forward that especially excelled at making plays on offense to help his team when he was on the floor.  He shot the ball very well, and he also showed off better than advertised athleticism, as he also was able to score on a couple of powerful dunks on off-ball motion plays.  On the other hand, he doesn’t possess elite foot speed or quickness, and he will need to continue to improve defensively.  Still, LaRavia is a skilled forward that shoots and passes well, and he currently projects to be a second round prospect.  He played very well in this game, and his skills and feel for the game could enable him to develop into being a solid role player in the NBA.

LSU’s 6-8 sophomore forward, Tari Eason had a decent showing in his team’s win over Wake Forest.  He didn’t dominate in this game, but he showed off versatile scoring skills, generally defended well, and he made solid team plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. Eason showed a solid ability to knock down jumpers in this game.  He didn’t take many of them, but he was able to make an open three off of a pick and pop play, and he also managed to make a mid-range floater.  Plus, he also showed a decent ability to score off the dribble.  He also was able to score on a strong drive to the hoop, and he also showed that he can draw fouls upon his defenders when looking to attack the basket.  On the downside, he had trouble scoring in the post, and he would miss on tough, off-balanced shots when he wouldn’t be able to get foul calls.

Also, he showcased satisfactory playmaking skills.  Eason is an unselfish player that would look to find the open man, and he also managed to throw an accurate interior pass to set up a scoring chance for a teammate on the break.  He also set a solid on-ball screen to help his team get an open jump shot.  On the downside, he can sometimes rush his moves when looking to make plays off the dribble.  There was one play where he carelessly dribbled the ball off his own foot as it later went out of bounds.

Plus, Eason did a decent job of rebounding the basketball.  He was able to haul in boards on both ends of the floor, and he would tend to bring the ball up after getting defensive rebounds.  Also, he played satisfactory defense in this game.  Eason defended a drive out on the perimeter, and he managed to emphatically block a shot out of bounds due to possessing solid athleticism, length, and timing.  He also ran in to intercept a pass to get a steal once, and he would apply pressure and stay in front of opposing ball handlers to help force passing turnovers.  Eason showed good strength to hold his ground when defending in the post, and he would contest shots both inside and out to force plenty of misses.  Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to wind up out of position.  Other times, he would be late to get back on defense, as he would be unable to help his team defend in transition.  Other times, he would sag too far off of shooters, which would lead him to give up three-point baskets to his opponents.

In summary, Tari Eason played fairly well to help lead his team to a win over Wake Forest.  He is a strong, athletic combo forward that can do a little bit of everything, and he is a versatile forward that could be a good pick for an NBA team in the mid to late first round range on draft day.

LSU’s 6-7 senior forward, Darius Days put forth an uneven performance in his team’s win over Wake Forest.  He is a strong, athletic combo forward that showed off a variety of skills, but he also struggled with his outside shot in this game. Days showed a solid ability to score in the post.  He has good strength that would often enable him to back his man down to get deep position, and he was able to score on a couple of strong, right-handed jump hooks.  He also was able to score on a quick, drop step move while getting fouled to get an extra free throw afterwards.

He also was able to score on a mid-range floater, and Days also made an open three off the catch.  However, he had trouble consistently knocking down his threes, and he especially struggled to shoot on the move.  He also generally struggled to score off the dribble, as his lack of elite lateral quickness would make it tough for him to get all the way to the hoop to score on half-court drives.

Also, Days was a bit turnover prone on offense.  He had trouble maneuvering around defenders in traffic as he would sometimes tend to over-dribble.  He lost the ball to commit a turnover once.  He also had a ball poked away another time, which led his team to commit a shot clock violation.

He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball.  He also was able to dive on the ground to help his team get a defensive board once.  Plus, Days also played solid defense in this game.  He did a good job of poking balls away to help his team get steals and deflections.  He also would contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to force plenty of misses.  He also managed to alter a shot off of a cut to get a stop another time.  Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to wind up out of position, which would lead him to commit fouls and give up open shots to his opponents.

Overall, Darius Days didn’t have his best game, but he was able to help his team on both ends of the floor.  He especially played well defensively, but he didn’t shoot particularly well in this match.  He will need to be a more consistent shooter and he will need to improve his shot selection.  He may need some time to hone his game, but he has a fairly solid blend of athleticism and skills that could enable him to make his way onto an NBA team’s roster someday.

Alondes Williams had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to LSU.  He is a fairly athletic swingman that made some impressive passes and defensive plays at times, but he also struggled with his jump shot and was turnover prone in this game. Williams was quite active at scoring on hustle plays.  He was able to run the floor to score on a crafty, fast break layup.  He also ran in to score on a tip-in.  He also would make strong moves to draw fouls upon his defenders.  Sometimes, he would be prone to rushing, which would lead to some wild misses around the basket.

He also showed a decent ability to score off the dribble.  He can finish plays using either hand, and he has solid strength, balance, and body control to score around the basket.  Sometimes though, he would have trouble getting all the way to the rim, and he would occasionally struggle to score when he wouldn’t get foul calls.  Williams was able to make an open three off the catch, but he struggled to knock down outside shots because he would sometimes miss due to rushing, and other times he would have trouble finding his shooting touch.

Also, Williams showed off adequate playmaking skills.  He threw very long, impressive outlet passes to find open teammates on the break, and he also showed that he can capably make passes off the dribble as well as out of the post.  He also was able to drive up the court and throw a lob to set up a score for a teammate in transition.  However, he would also try risky passes a bit too much, and he would sometimes tend to throw inaccurate passes that would go astray.  Other time, he was called for traveling when looking to create a play off the dribble early on.

Adding to that, Williams did a great job of rebounding the basketball.  He was quite active at crashing the glass to get boards on both ends of the floor, and he also pushed the ball after getting a defensive board late in this match.  He also played adequate defense.  He is an energetic player that showed a knack for making plays on the ball to help his team get stops.  Williams rotated to block a shot in the post once.  He also intercepted an errant pass to get a steal, and he also jumped on a loose ball to help his team get another.  He also would defend opponents aggressively off the dribble to help force misses and turnovers.  However, sometimes he would have trouble guarding opponents when defending in one-on-one situations, as he would sometimes get beat off the dribble by quicker players, or get overpowered by taller, stronger players in the post.  Sometimes he would try to go for steals and miss, which would lead him to wind up out of position when defending opposing ball handlers.

Overall, Alondes Williams didn’t have his best game, but he showed off some interesting skills in his team’s loss to LSU.  He is a fairly athletic swingman that can score and pass the basketball.  He will need to improve his outside shot and on-ball defense, but his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor could enable him to find his way onto an NBA team’s roster someday.

Dallas Walton had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to LSU.  He is a mobile, skilled big man that can score in a variety of ways, and he had a solid first half, but he struggled to consistently make plays down the stretch. Walton showed an adequate ability to knock down jumpers.  He was able to show that he can knock down three-point shots, and Walton managed to make an open, bank three from way out.

He also scored on a powerful dunk when he got the ball in the post.  However, he had trouble getting deep position or finishing plays in traffic, which would lead him to miss shots, especially when he wouldn’t get foul calls. He also displayed perhaps above average playmaking skills.  Walton was able to throw accurate passes out of the post, and he can find teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for them.  However, sometimes he can struggle to handle the ball under pressure, and he had a ball poked away from him when posting up later on in this match.

Also, Walton did a good job of rebounding the basketball.  He was especially active at crashing the glass to get defensive boards, and Walton also managed to push the ball up the court to show off some handles.  He also played satisfactory defense in this game.  Walton managed to hustle to block a shot to a teammate to help his team protect the paint.  He also poked a ball away from an opposing ball handler to force a shot clock violation late in this game.  He also was able to rotate onto opposing ball handlers to force them to commit ball-handling turnovers.  He also did a good job of contesting shots in the paint to force misses due to possessing good strength, positioning, and instincts.  On one play though, he was late to get back and didn’t rotate over to an open shooter on the break, as his team allowed the opponent to score on an open three-point shot.  Another time, he bit on a ball fake when defending in the post, which led him to give up too much space and allow the basket that time.

Overall, Dallas Walton didn’t have his best game, but he is an intriguing prospect due to his size, interior defensive skills, and shooting potential.  He’s worked hard on his three-point shot, and he’s flashed the ability to knock down outside shots over the course of this season.  He’ll still need to continue to improve as an overall player, but if he can continue to hone his game, he could end up making his way onto an NBA roster someday.

Daivien Williamson is an agile, skilled combo guard that thrived as a scorer in his team’s loss to LSU.  He showed a knack for scoring on strong drives to the hoop, and he showed good balance, scoring touch, and body control to regularly score off the dribble.  He also showed off a solid mid-range shot.  He also would find ways to contort his body and take on the contact to draw fouls upon his defenders to frequently get to the free throw line. 

On the downside, he missed on all of the three-point shots he took from beyond the arc. He didn’t seem to make any noteworthy passes, but Williamson generally handled the ball well.  On one play though when he drove along the baseline, he was called for stepping out of bounds early in this match.

Also, Williamson was able to haul in several boards to help his team get defensive rebounds, and he was able to push the ball up the court off of a defensive board once.  He also played satisfactory defense.  He would poke balls away to make things difficult on opposing ball handlers, and he also contested a three to force a miss.  On the other hand, when he defended a drive once, he tried to flop backwards in a failed effort to take a charge, but as a result of a no-call, that move rendered him no longer in a position to contest the shot, so he ended up allowing the basket at the rim.

Overall, Daivien Williamson is a fairly athletic combo guard that showed a knack for scoring the basketball.  He has shot the three-ball much better over the course of the season, but sometimes he can be too passive on offense.  He will need to show that he can play well against upper-echelon opponents, but his offensive skills could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA someday.

Other Notes:

Alex Fudge had a strong showing to help LSU get the win over Wake Forest.  He is a very athletic, high-motor combo forward that thrived at making hustle plays on both ends of the floor, and he was able to throw down numerous highlight reel-worthy dunks to help his team get the win.

Fudge showed off versatile scoring skills in this game.  He especially showed a knack for scoring on off-ball, motion plays.  He was able to score on a tip-in, on a high-flying alley-oop dunk off of a cut, and he also excelled at scoring on fast breaks.  Fudge would run the floor to get the ball on fast breaks, and he would throw down magnetic jams, as he also was able to draw an extra free throw afterwards once.  Plus, he also made an open, spot-up three in transition to showcase some shooting skills in this game.

Also, Fudge showed off adequate playmaking skills.  He was able to throw a quick interior pass to find a cutter to notch an assist.  On one play after getting a defensive rebound, he was called for stepping out of bounds to commit a turnover.

Plus, Fudge did a great job of rebounding the basketball.  He would swoop in to aggressively haul in boards on both ends of the floor due to possessing very good athleticism, motor, and instincts.  Fudge also played satisfactory defense in this game.  He was able to leap up high to intercept a pass to get a steal.  He also rotated to alter a shot to prevent an opponent from scoring off of a drive.  He also successfully drew a charge another time due to good positioning.  Fudge also would often contest shots in the paint to force plenty of misses.  On the downside, sometimes he would close out too hard and get beat off the dribble, which would lead him to allow scores.  Another time, he was late on his rotation and he sagged too far off of a shooter, which led him to give up a three-point basket.

Overall, Alex Fudge played very well, and he could be a prospect to watch for the 2023 draft.  He is a high-motor combo forward and a rangy defender that could potentially guard a variety of positions on the defensive end.  He will need to improve his outside shot and be more assertive on offense, but regardless, he could project to be a solid role player in the NBA.

Efton Reid had a solid showing to help his team get the win over Wake Forest.  He is a skilled, mobile center that thrived as an interior player on both ends of the floor. Reid did a good job of scoring in the post.  He would often score on turnaround jump hooks, as he can use either hand to score, and he would use shoulder shakes and ball fakes to get past his man to get his shots off.  He also showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays.  He was able to score on a roll as well as on a powerful tip slam, and Reid also managed to use a pump fake to score on an emphatic jam off of a cut.

While he didn’t grab many rebounds, Reid was able to get a pair of boards in this game.  He also played solid defense in this game.  Reid was able to block a mid-range shot due to possessing solid length and timing, and he also would get his hands on passes to help his team get steals and deflections.  He also managed to poke a ball away, and he also would contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the post to force plenty of misses.  On one play though, he lost track of a cutter and didn’t actively contest the shot, which led his team to give up a dunk.  Another time, he over-helped in the paint, which led his team to be put in a scramble situation, and they ended up allowing an opponent to score on a wide-open three-point shot.

Overall, Efton Reid did a good job of scoring and defending in this game.  He is a skilled, crafty player that showed a knack for scoring in the post.  He will need to improve his rebounding and get more playing time on a consistent basis, but he is a talented prospect that could be due for a breakout season next year, and he could project into a backup center role in the NBA.

Eric Gaines had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Wake Forest.  He is a very athletic guard that excelled at attacking the hoop to score the basketball, but he also was very turnover prone in this game. Gaines showed a knack for scoring off the dribble and in transition.  He also managed to catch a lob pass to score on a thunderous alley-oop dunk on the break.  On the downside, he struggled to knock down his outside shots, and he ended up missing all of his three-point shots from beyond the arc.

He is an unselfish player that can throw solid interior passes to set up scores for his teammates.  Gaines was able to throw good lob passes to find his teammates on the move to get assists.  However, he also had trouble handling the ball when pressured, and he ended up committing a slew of ball-handling turnovers.  Other times, he would throw rushed, inaccurate passes that would go astray.

Also, he did a good job of rebounding the basketball, and sometimes he would look to push the ball up the court off of defensive boards.  Gaines also played adequate defense.  He would get his hands on passes to get steals and deflections, and he also poked a ball away to nearly get another steal.  He also contested a three to force a miss.  However, he had trouble guarding opponents off the dribble.  He would tend to get beat off the dribble to allow scores, and he also would commit reach-in fouls due to over-aggressiveness.

Overall, Eric Gaines is a very athletic, combo guard that can make solid plays on both ends of the floor, but he will need to improve his jump shot and show that he can reliably run the point on a consistent basis.  He will need more time to develop and hone his game, but if so, he could be a prospect to watch in the future.

Xavier Pinson had a decent showing in his team’s win over Wake Forest.  He didn’t look to score very often, but he generally thrived as a playmaker and defender in this game.  Pinson showed a knack for drawing and making free throws on aggressive drives in transition.  He would find clever ways to contort his body and he would crash into defenders to get many free throws.  Pinson also was able to make a pull-up three to show that he can knock down outside shots.  He didn’t take many shots overall, but Pinson was able to show off versatile scoring skills on offense.

Also, Pinson showed off solid playmaking skills.  He was able to make a variety of passes to rack up assists, and he generally threw crisp, accurate interior passes to find open teammates on the move.  However, sometimes he would struggle to handle the ball when pressured or over-dribble into traffic, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers.  He also threw an inaccurate pass once that got dropped out of bounds.  He also was able to chase down boards to help his team get some rebounds. 

Pinson also played solid defense in this game.  He would often intercept passes and poke balls away to get a plethora of steals, and he also jumped on a loose ball to help his team get another.  Plus, he also managed to successfully draw a charge when defending an opposing ball-handler another time.  Sometimes though, he would struggle to guard opponents in one-on-one situations.  He got outmuscled when defending in the post, which led him to commit a foul.  He also got beat off the dribble another time, which led his teammate to commit the foul instead.  On another play, he sagged too far off his man and didn’t actively contest the shot, which allowed his opponent to score on an open three-point shot.

Overall, Xavier Pinson is an athletic, skilled playmaker that thrived as a facilitator and defender in this game.  He will still need to improve his jump shot and play more under control when operating as the lead ball handler on offense, but his ability to make a variety of plays on both ends of the floor could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA someday.