Cream Abdul-Jabbar's services are now available in the transfer portal.
Robbie Avila, the star center for Indiana State, announced on Tuesday that he is entering the portal. The goggles-sporting sophomore played an integral role in the Sycamores' rise to prominence in the 2023-24 season, averaging 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Avila was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team and helped Indiana State reach the NIT Championship, where it fell to Seton Hall.
"I would like to thank my teammates and coaches over these last two years," Avila said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "The family bonds we've made have been absolutely special and will last a lifetime. I am truly a better person and player going through this journey with them.
"Next I would like to thank Indiana State, the fans, and the entire city of Terre Haute for showing me the love you guys did. Without you guys, we wouldn't have had the success we did these past two years. This place will always have a special spot in my heart and I will forever cherish what you have done for me.
"With that being said, after much consideration, I will be entering my name into the transfer portal and look forward to the future."
It is going to be an entirely new look for the Sycamores next fall. Avila was the last starter on the Indiana State roster to enter the transfer portal, and the program's head coach, Josh Schertz, recently took a job elsewhere.
Where could Avila end up for the 2024-25 season? Here is a look at the top landing spots for the Indiana State transfer.
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This one feels like the most obvious one.
Three days before Avila entered into the transfer portal, it was announced that Schertz was hired by Saint Louis to take over as head coach for the Billikens program. Schertz is going to be looking to start recruiting his own talent to build up Saint Louis, and there would be no better transfer to bring in than Avila.
The two have familiarity with each other, having spent the last two seasons together with the Sycamores. Avila flourished under Schertz's tutelage and would have a chance at continuing to develop while playing at an Atlantic 10 school.
Avila is an Illinois kid, hailing from Oak Forest. Could a return to the Prairie State be in order for the big? It's certainly possible.
Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini lost Dain Dainja to the transfer portal, as the forward elected to go to Memphis, and are graduating Marcus Domask and Quincy Guerrier. Illinois needs to rebuild its frontcourt and could bring Avila back home to offer up a potential solution.
Avila already has an NIL deal with the White Sox, making his presence felt in the state, so it would be a no-brainer to bring a fan favorite like Avila to Champaign.
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Speaking of Illinois schools, DePaul is another program that potentially could try and land Avila again.
DePaul was one of the teams that recruited Avila out of high school, offering him a spot on the Blue Demons before he elected to go to Indiana State.
It would be remiss not to point out that at the time, Tony Stubblefield was still at the helm of the Big East school, and now Chris Holtmann is taking over next fall.
DePaul needs all the help it can get after an awful 3-29 campaign. If Avila is looking for the best place to win, DePaul probably isn't that. However, he'd get the chance to star at a Big East school.
This may be a reach, but another Big East program potentially to consider is Seton Hall.
The Pirates knocked out the Sycamores in the 2024 NIT championship, and Seton Hall head coach Shaheen Holloway shared a moment with Avila following the final buzzer. Could it have been an initial conversation that leads to his recruitment to New Jersey?
Seton Hall was one of the final four teams out of the NCAA Tournament and proved the committee got it wrong by winning it all at the NIT. Holloway and the Pirates saw firsthand what Avila brings to the table, as he put up 13 points, five rebounds and five assists in the finale.
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