The protective sports goggles, the appearance, and the throwback style centered on post moves, touch shots, pump fakes, and high-level passing reminded fans of LA Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The nickname ‘Cream Abdul-Jabbar’ stuck, and Kentucky radio personality Matt Jones helped popularize it after sharing highlights of Avila’s dominant performances. Now that the player is set to join the Purple and Gold.

Former Saint Louis star Robbie Avila, according to Jon Chepkevich of Draft Express, has signed with the Lakers after going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft. The purple and gold reportedly signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract, making him part of their Summer League and training camp plans.

Avila’s deal is not a guaranteed NBA contract. An Exhibit 10 agreement will allow the Lakers to bring him to training camp, where JJ Redick and the rest of the coaching staff will evaluate him during Summer League and preseason, with the chance to potentially convert him to a two-way contract later. However, if he gets waived, he will move on to the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he could earn a bonus, reportedly around $75,000 for staying within the organization.

He first gained national attention at Indiana State Sycamores, the same program once led by Larry Bird. In his sophomore season in 2023-24, he became a national sensation, averaging 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. When coach Josh Schertz left Indiana State for Saint Louis Billikens, Avila followed him.

At Saint Louis, he continued to excel, winning the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Furthermore, he averaged 4.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 4.0 apg in his two seasons there, leading the team to the NCAA Tournament and a memorable upset win over Georgia in March Madness.

If he can prove himself against NBA players, he could follow a developmental path similar to other overlooked undrafted players such as Austin Reaves, whom the organization also signed after he went undrafted. Reaves recently earned the biggest contract for an undrafted player, signing a four-year, $185 million maximum contract with the Purple and Gold after he declined his $14.9 million player option.

Fans React to Lakers Going for Undrafted Avila

The player that comes to mind that went undrafted and ended up being a three-time MVP and an NBA champion is Nikola Jokic. Robbie Avila has been compared to the Joker and now will be hoping to emulate him and fellow Lakers star Reaves to make the big step up in arguably the toughest league in the world. Fans on social media, particularly X, shared the same thoughts.

One fan tweeted: “Every year the Lakers find a random undrafted guy and fans convince themselves he’s the next star. This time… they might actually have a case.” Last year, Los Angeles signed NCAA top scorer Eric Dixon, who went undrafted but saw his progress stall due to a foot injury.

Other fans did not buy the move. “Go watch the Michigan game. He ain’t an NBA player.” Against the Wolverines, Avilla had one of the toughest games of his final college season, finishing the game with nine points, one rebound and five assists, while shooting a poor 3-for-13 from the field (23.1%) and 3-for-10 from beyond the arc, as his team crashed out losing 95-72 to the eventual champions.

“Robbie Avila is an entertaining player to watch but I’ll be surprised if he makes an impact in the NBA,” another fan commented. “He has really good passing and dribbling skills and can shoot from deep, but poor athleticism (which is part of his charm if I’m honest). I’d love to be proven wrong though!” The 22-year-old, 6-foot-10 center has a lot of convincing to do, and with the Summer League coming in eight days, he would be eager to prove his doubters wrong.