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Robbie Avila AKA ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar’ has become a college basketball sensation this season. The Indiana State star went viral in February due to both his unique look and style of play on the court.
A 6-foot-10 center, Avila boasts a game that mirrors NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. The methodical approach often appears slow, but it proves effective as he dissects opposing defenses in the paint.
His production cannot be denied.
The sophomore is averaging 17.6 points a night while shooting at a 56% clip from the field. That includes a near-40% mark from beyond the three-point line!
There’s nothing he can’t do!
Those on-court abilities, along with his hallmark goggles, landed him the ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar’ moniker, which he’s embraced, but it’s far from the only nickname gained. He rattled off a few more in an incredible interview with Dan Le Batard this week.
Why the goggles? His brother is apparently the reason he decided to keep wearing them throughout his high school and college careers.
“Originally, I started played football when I was younger, and I couldn’t wear glasses. They would’ve broken instantly. So, my mom invested in a pair of goggles, and I kind of started wearing them ever since.
“In high school, I thought about going to contacts. I tried them out real quick, but I couldn’t really get it down. Then, my brother came to me and was like, ‘Hey, you’re not you without your goggles. You can’t get contacts.'”
That eyewear is an integral part of his ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar’ nickname, but it’s not the only one he’s heard.
Others include Steph Blurry (we noted his three-point prowess) and Larry Nerd.
His favorite, though? Rob Wave.
“My favorite music artist is Rod Wave, and so I got one earlier that was ‘Rob Wave.’ That’s always going to be my favorite, but I do like ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar.'”
Robbie Avila was overlooked as a high school recruit.
He didn’t get a ton of interest from major college basketball programs. Avila says most of the schools to contact him as a senior played in the MVC.
“A lot of my looks from high school came from the Missouri Valley teams. Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois… I had a couple looks from high major, but I think the athleticism I had threw them off a little bit to where they didn’t pull the trigger to offer.
“Getting recruited by Indiana State, they saw past that.”
And the Sycamores are glad they did.
The big man has been a key part to success on the floor, where they’ve posted a 26-5 overall record to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title.
They’ll now prep for the MVC tournament and hope to slide into the Big Dance.