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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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College basketball is in the middle of a tense eligibility fight, with multiple former professionals, NBA draft picks, and players who have exhausted their college eligibility attempting to return for another season.
The NCAA introduced a new rule in 2026 allowing athletes five seasons of competition within a five-year window, but its decision to exclude many players from the high school class of 2022 has triggered lawsuits across the country.
Several cases have gained national attention, including James Nnaji, a 2023 NBA draft pick who played professionally overseas and is now set to play at George Mason, and former Alabama center Charles Bediako, who briefly returned to college after signing a two-way NBA contract and playing in the G League. He later lost his bid to remain eligible. Recently, Trey Kaufman-Renn also received a court order allowing him to join Kansas while seeking another year of eligibility this season.
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Now, another college basketball star has thrown his name into the hat: Robbie Avila, famously dubbed, "Cream Abdul-Jabbar."
Avila, who played at Saint Louis last season, is fighting for another season of college eligibility as well, and according to multiple recent reports, he has received a temporary restraining order allowing the Billikens to roster him while his eligibility case continues. A preliminary injunction hearing is set for Nov. 4.
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Avila is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound center who spent two seasons at Indiana State before transferring to Saint Louis to play under his former coach, Josh Schertz. He quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his oversized protective goggles, unique playing style, and impressive passing ability, even drawing other nicknames like "College Jokic" and "Larry Nerd."
He's got the productivity to match, though. He averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game during his second season at Indiana State, helping the Sycamores reach the NIT championship game. After transferring to Saint Louis, he averaged 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game during the 2024-25 season. Last year, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while earning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors.
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Despite an impressive college career, Avila went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft but signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and played in the 2026 NBA Summer League. He's now seeking a fifth college season, arguing that the NCAA's eligibility rules unfairly exclude players in his situation.
A return would give Saint Louis an experienced playmaker with a proven record of high-level production at the college level. It would also add another high-profile case to the growing debate over who should be allowed to compete in college sports.
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