During Summer League this year, the Los Angeles Lakers had a player become an instant fan favorite.
No, it wasn't athletic first-round pick Cameron Carr. It wasn't last year's rookie, Adou Thiero, who may have grazed the ceiling on some of his dunk attempts. No, it was undrafted big man Robbie Avila, whose pale skin, goggles and unsculpted physique endeared him to NBA fans just as it has to college basketball fans for years.
Now, instead of coming to training camp to compete for a contract, he may be turning his back on the Lakers altogether.
Robbie Avila is loved by many
When you are as talented as Avila is, and as visually distinct, you draw both attention and some fantastic nicknames. A true college star, Avila has the passing vision and shooting touch to be an offensive machine, and he has been a part of some really good mid-major teams over the past few seasons.
The monikers have rolled in. "Cream Abdul-Jabbar" is the most famous, a nod to former Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has also been called Milk Chamberlain after another Lakers center. Larry Nerd, Rob Wave, Shaquille Oatmeal and Steph Blurry have also been tossed around.
Unfortunately for Avila, his game against NBA athletes did not match his Q Rating. In summer league he was unable to make his mark, struggling through a few ho-hum performances. He was not in line for a guaranteed spot with the Lakers, instead signing an Exhibit 10 contract to join them for training camp and preseason.
Avila has a decision to make
If the NBA is Avila's dream, he can go to training camp with the Lakers, join their G League affiliate in Palm Springs, and fight for an NBA call-up later in the season or next summer. He is both good enough and famous enough to stick around the G League for a couple of years no matter what.
Yet there is now another option available. Avila played four seasons of college basketball, which exhausted his eligibility and propelled him into the NBA Draft process this year. Friday, however, a Colorado judge passed a preliminary injunction granting all college athletes from the high school class of 2022 another year of eligibility.
Suddenly, Avila could return to college this season, whether by returning to St. Louis or joining a new school. He would likely receive a substantial NIL deal to do so, magnitudes more than he would earn in the G League this season. He would be a college star instead of a G League curiosity.
If Avila is going to take that option, he will likely decide to do so in the next week as a "transfer window" opens up in college basketball. He and his representation are surely speaking with schools now to determine what his options are.
At this point, the odds of Avila reporting to training camp with the Lakers are low and dropping. He has a major opportunity dropped into his lap, and most of the available evidence suggests that he will take it.
Avila is probably returning to college, and the Lakers and their fans will have only memories of their time with Cream Abdul-Jabbar.
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