Indiana State star center Robbie Avila, lovingly known as Cream Abdul-Jabbar by college basketball fans, announced on Tuesday, April 9 that he had entered the transfer portal.
Avila garnered national attention during the 2023-24 season as he carried his team to an appearance in the NIT Championship game.
He averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game for the Sycamores and was a dominant force against Seton Hall in the title game.
BREAKING: Indiana State forward Robbie Avila has officially entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, per @JamieShaw5 https://t.co/XdPBXM2nBN pic.twitter.com/34EWVfvGVQ
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) April 9, 2024
At 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, Avila is a brick house in the paint and was a consistent menace for opponents.
He has also earned the nicknames Larry Nerd, Larry Blurred, College Jokic, and Milk Chamberlain over his two seasons of college basketball.
Hailing from Oak Forest, Illinois, Avila went widely overlooked when he was coming out of high school despite being a two-star prospect.
Avila received offers from Cleveland State, Toledo, DePaul, Appalachian State, and Indiana State.
The Ducks are in desperate need of a big man who can be a leader for the Ducks. While Nate Bittle and Mahamadou Diawara are strong prospects to replace starting center N’Faly Dante, neither screams star quite like Avila does.
Oregon heavily relied on Dante’s scoring in the paint and defensive prowess throughout the past season and Avila could bring a similar dominance to the Ducks’ roster.
Head coach Dana Altman will once again be rebuilding his starting lineup as Dante and Jermaine Couisnard have reached the end of their collegiate eligibility.
Avila should be a target for Altman’s transfer portal search and would make for a great addition to the Ducks’ bench.