Robbie Avila, the skilled 6-foot-10 center known for his thick-rimmed glasses and creative nicknames like “Cream Abdul-Jabbar,” is weighing an unexpected return to college basketball after a federal court ruling granted additional eligibility to certain athletes from the high school Class of 2022.
Avila, who went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, is exploring his options following limited opportunities in Summer League. College basketball insider Adam Zagoria reported that the former Saint Louis standout is “waiting to see what his options are” after being granted a fifth year of eligibility.
U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Colorado issued a preliminary injunction that restored eligibility for 2026-27 to high school Class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their four seasons of college eligibility this past spring. The decision created a special transfer portal window from Aug. 3-10. The NCAA is expected to appeal, and it plans a permanent “five-for-five” model starting with athletes entering college in 2027.
A clarification issued Sunday, however, complicated the picture. Sweeney’s injunction did not block NCAA transfer rules. Players exercising the extra year would have to return to their most recent school rather than freely enter the portal and choose a new destination. For Avila, that means any college return would require him to go back to Saint Louis.
Questions also remain about whether his Exhibit 10 agreement with the Lakers and professional participation affect his amateur status under NCAA rules.
Avila built a distinctive career first at Indiana State and then at Saint Louis after following coach Josh Schertz. At Indiana State he earned MVC All-Freshman honors as a freshman (10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds) and first-team All-MVC recognition as a sophomore (17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists) while helping the Sycamores reach the NIT final.
He transferred to Saint Louis in 2024. In 2024-25 he averaged 17.3 points and 6.9 rebounds and earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. Last season he was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year after averaging 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from three. He led all NCAA centers in assists and ranked among the top centers in made threes per game.
Avila helped the Billikens to a school-record 29 wins (29-6 overall, 15-3 in the A-10), a share of the regular-season conference title, and an NCAA Tournament appearance as a No. 9 seed. They defeated Georgia in the first round before falling to No. 1 Michigan in the second round. Career college totals stand at 1,990 points, 750 rebounds and 473 assists across 137 games, with efficient shooting (51.6 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from three). He is one of only a handful of centers in NCAA history with 200 or more career three-pointers.
After going undrafted, Avila signed with the Lakers. He saw limited action in Summer League, appearing in a small number of games with minimal production (reports cited averages around 1.0 point in limited minutes). The modest role has factored into his reconsideration of college options.
Avila faces a clear choice: continue pursuing an NBA or G League path through the Lakers’ training camp and developmental system, or return to Saint Louis for another college season that could further polish his game and potentially improve his professional stock. Returning would reunite him with Schertz and a program that just enjoyed one of its strongest seasons in recent memory.
The window is short. With the special portal period running Aug. 3-10 and contractual and eligibility details still being sorted, Avila and his representatives must move quickly. For a player who became one of college basketball’s most recognizable and skilled big men through passing, shooting, and post play, the next few days will determine whether “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” gets one more year on campus or keeps pushing forward in the professional ranks.
