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Viral sensation ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar’ could soon start reaping the benefits of his social media fame. It’s being reported that Indiana State is doing all it can to keep its star home.
Robbie Avila is not only one of college basketball’s best stories this season, but he sports maybe the most unique look in the game. And it’s led to that incredible on-court nickname, and more!
Avila burst onto the scene in Year 2 with the Sycamores, helping his squad post a 28-6 overall record to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. As a No. 1 seed in the MVC tournament, Indiana State fell in the championship game to second-seeded Drake.
That means either the NCAA Tournament or NIT lie ahead for the Sycamores, but the school is already thinking beyond this year.
Reports are circulating saying the school is looking to give its most popular player a major boost in NIL revenue.
NEW: @IndStBasketball donors are pricing out NIL money to keep star @Robbie_Avila30 and added funds to retain @CoachSchertzISU.
Avila got $30K this year from @Xroadchamps collective, which is hoping to offer him $75-90K for next year.
Much more👇https://t.co/4dlXOqEnJ5
— Daniel Libit (@DanielLibit) March 9, 2024
Sportico.com writes that donors are looking to potentially triple ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar’s’ NIL earnings.
Avila is receiving $30,000 this year through Crossroad of Champions, according to the collective’s chairman John Newton.
Newton says the collective is seeking to have at least $300,000 in the bank for next year, with the intention of offering Avila between $75,000 and $90,000.
Will that be enough to keep Robbie Avila at Indiana State?
Cream Abdul-Jabbar’s marketing agent says he’s “getting bombarded by offers,” and that his client will definitely keep an eye on outside opportunities as they continue to roll in.
“Robbie loves Indiana State, but like any college athlete, if there is an opportunity to capitalize on that, you want to do that—you would be crazy not to.”
While Avila has said he loves Indiana State in the past, commending them for seeing past some of his faults to offer one of his few D1 scholarships, this is the world we currently live in.
The rich get richer in many cases as mid-major programs become feeders to the Power Five. Indiana State was able to keep Avila under the radar for most of his first two seasons on campus, but now the cat is out of the bag!
He’ll likely have a decision to make in the very near future.