The NCAA’s five-in-five rule was meant to help players. Robbie Avila exposed an unexpected loophole in the system that Fran Fraschilla says is broken. Just a week after the judge cleared Robbie Avila to play his first season, his college eligibility has taken another wild twist. He was once denied a place on the St. Louis roster, but reports have quickly surfaced that he is finalizing a deal with TCU, prompting a reaction from former Manhattan head coach Fran Fraschilla.

“St. Louis will get two future second-round picks and cash considerations in return,”  Fraschilla joked, replying to an ESPN report about the latest move. “The Horned Frogs are one over on their roster allotment, so someone will be waived in the next 48 hours. Hate the system but love the player.”

Just to clarify, Fraschilla was joking about Avila’s move to TCU from St. Louis with an NBA-style trade.

NCAA passed a rule in June earlier this year that would allow players to play five seasons in five years, replacing the previous rule that limited the seasons to just four. As per the rule, the eligibility clock starts at full-time enrollment.

It can also start from the first academic year after the player turns 19. The choice is whichever comes first of the two. It was changed from the past rule that allowed athletes five years to complete four years, with age playing no part.

Fraschilla was responding to a report from ESPN. The report said that Avila would soon head to TCU’s campus to start his fifth season of college basketball.

“St. Louis transfer Robbie Avila is finalizing a deal to play for TCU this year, multiple sources confirm to ESPN. The sides are “close” to finishing the deal, and he’s expected to head to campus this week. Avila has scored 1,990 career points and was A-10 Player of the Year last year,” ESPN’s Pete Thammel wrote on X.

Avila went unselected in the 2026 NBA draft. He has been with St. Louis for the last two seasons after playing his first two years at Indiana State under Josh Schertz, who is now coaching at St. Louis. Schertz had planned to suit up Avila for Friday’s contest against Missouri, but the College Sports Commission blocked it hours before, citing the 15-man roster limit. 

Avila then went to court to fight his case. St. Louis City Circuit Judge Jason Sengheiser, in his temporary court order, allowed Avila to play his fifth season. The lawyers representing Avila said that since St. Louis didn’t expect the player to return for another year, the roster limit should not be applied. Avila declared for the 2026 NBA draft, but went undrafted. 

He agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, and even played in the Summer League. However, according to The Athletic, he never signed the deal. The judge ruled that St. Louis has a 16th spot reserved for Avila while the case was still under trial.