The basketball career of a 6-foot-10 big man with goggles is on the line during a Thursday afternoon hearing in a Cook County courthouse in Chicago. When Robbie Avila, affectionately known as “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” and “Steph Blurry” to the college basketball fans who followed his journey, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers after going undrafted this past June, it was not the scene anyone had anticipated. However, here we are.
Avila became one of those genuinely endearing college basketball tales after attending Indiana State and Saint Louis University during his time in college. Wearing those distinctive goggles, averaging 14.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over four seasons, and shooting almost 38 percent from three, he was the type of player who developed a devoted fan base without ever being a predicted lottery pick. During his final season, SLU finished 29-6 and defeated Georgia in the NCAA tournament opening round. His moment was well-earned.
Next was the draft. The undrafted reality then emerged. The Lakers offered him an Exhibit 10 contract, which is essentially an invitation to training camp with G League implications, after realizing that his size and shooting ability would be useful in their development. For a player attempting to forge a career, it seemed like a logical next step.
However, Avila found herself in the center of the college eligibility debate, which has been subtly changing amateur sports over the past few months. In the summer, a Colorado federal judge granted athletes from the high school Class of 2022—those who enrolled in college during the COVID eligibility window period—a fifth year of eligibility through a class-wide injunction. Avila was one of those people. Reports appeared almost immediately that he was “waiting to see what his options are.”
As was to be expected, the NCAA took action. It won a temporary stay after contesting the injunction. The Colorado judge then clarified that her decision did not supersede NCAA transfer regulations, which probably dampened some of Avila’s enthusiasm. If an athlete wanted to work out this fifth year, they would have to go back to their old school instead of using the transfer portal to look for a top program. That means SLU or nothing for Avila. It’s not the kind of situation that would cause someone to decline an NBA training camp invitation.
However, the issue is still not entirely resolved. On August 12, Avila filed her own lawsuit, and a Cook County circuit court hearing was set. In the professional studies program at SLU, his name was recently added to the student registration rolls. This move reads more like someone keeping all doors open than a coincidence. Perhaps Avila hasn’t made up her mind yet. These decisions are difficult, and the law is constantly changing.
This is a larger narrative that extends far beyond a single player and a single franchise. According to an NCAA memo sent to member schools, athletes requesting this extra year have now filed close to 60 lawsuits. The group is battling them one by one and has overturned three previous decisions thus far. The wave, however, is continuing.
Numerous players have already been granted eligibility by state courts in South Carolina, Kentucky, and other states, and several more challenges are planned for September. Whether this trend continues isn’t really the question. The question is whether the NCAA can maintain its position long enough to be significant.
Avila was always a project for the Lakers. He only made one appearance in a summer league match. A number of additional Exhibit 10 players and training camp invitees were signed by the team. However, witnessing a team with championship hopes become embroiled in a college eligibility battle over a player who hasn’t yet taken an NBA floor shot is a bit out of the ordinary. It’s unclear if Avila stays or leaves in the end. It’s obvious that the hearing on Thursday will probably reveal to him and the Lakers where this is going.
