NBA Draft Prospect Got Two Years Younger Overnight; Raised Draft Stock

Wake Forest forward Jake LaRavia watched as his draft stock fell over recent weeks, from a late first-round pick to a mid-to-late second-round projection. Turns out, all it took was for him to become two years younger to reclaim his first-round status.

As told by Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com, LaRavia was mistakenly listed as 22 years old after he declared for the draft. Sites everywhere ran with it, and when scouts saw his age, his prospects took a hit. 

“I didn’t really know about the whole age thing and how that plays a huge role (in how NBA executives value prospects), but it actually plays a big role in this process,” LaRavia told BasketballNews. “I was getting a bunch of people hitting me up like, ‘Jake, you’re 22?’ So, I looked it up on Google, like, ‘How old is Jake LaRavia?’ and it said 22. I was like, ‘Alright, we gotta get this fixed.’”

His agent got involved, and like magic, LaRavia was 20 once again—his rightful age. And just as magically, his draft stock rose back up into the first-round, where he was selected Thursday night even higher than originally expected, at No. 19 by the Memphis Grizzlies (via the Minnesota Timberwolves). 

Who knew that "ageism" could be felt by 20-somethings? 

Photo Credit: Dawson Powers-USA TODAY Sports