Avila to TCU: The $0 Transfer That Costs a Judge

Robbie Avila is completing a transfer to TCU for the 2026-27 season. Sources familiar with the negotiations indicate the paperwork is nearly finished. The 6-foot-10 center plans to travel to the Fort Worth campus later this week to join the Horned Frogs.

The move followed a legal battle in Missouri. A judge granted Avila a preliminary injunction last week, securing him a fifth year of collegiate eligibility. The College Sports Commission subsequently blocked his immediate return to Saint Louis. The Billikens cited roster limits as the reason they could not add him back to their squad.

Avila arrived at Saint Louis after following head coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State. He spent the last two seasons in the A-10 conference. Last season, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He shot 41 percent from three-point distance. His performance contributed to a 29-win record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Before Saint Louis, Avila played two seasons at Indiana State. In the 2023-24 campaign, he averaged a career-high 17.4 points per game. The team finished with 32 wins that year. He has amassed nearly 2,000 career points in college basketball. His distinctive goggles and size have earned him the nickname Cream Abdul-Jabbar.

TCU enters this transfer window with three consecutive victories. The team hosts Milwaukee on Friday. The schedule intensifies next week with a game against Texas A&M and a trip to Las Vegas. In the Players Era 16 tournament, Jamie Dixon’s team will face No. 17 Miami.

Academic constraints determine when Avila can play. TCU’s mini-semester begins on November 17. The regular fall semester concludes on December 18. Administrators must align these dates with the team’s practice and game schedule to determine his first appearance in a Horned Frogs uniform.