BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� Robbie Avila is the first to admit he doesn鈥檛 look the part of a basketball player, with his thick goggles that seem too small for his head, and the way the 6-foot-10, 240-pound Saint Louis center lumbers up and down the court.
The 22-year-old from suburban Chicago is self-aware enough to bring attention to his deficiencies by coming up with self-deprecating nicknames such as 鈥淐ream Abdul-Jabbar鈥� and 鈥淢ilk Chamberlain.鈥� Or how about 鈥淪LU Alcindor,鈥� which incorporates his school鈥檚 initials.
Beyond the jokes and looks, Avila can actually play basketball 鈥� at an elite level 鈥� and has the resume to prove it.
He鈥檚 the Atlantic 10 player of the year, leads the team in scoring and assists, and played a key role in Saint Louis’ on Thursday in the first round of the The Billikens (29-5), will face top-seeded Michigan (32-3) on Saturday.
鈥淚鈥檝e never seen a player like him. Never,鈥� Saint Louis guard Dion Brown said.
鈥淗e鈥檚 6-10. He thinks like a guard but doesn鈥檛 move quite as fast as a guard, but he shoots like a guard. There鈥檚 just so many ways he can affect the game,鈥� Brown added of a teammate who ranks third among NCAA centers with 211 career 3-pointers. 鈥淗e鈥檚 someone who can elevate everyone else鈥檚 game.鈥�
And then there’s the attention Avila has drawn for an appearance incongruous with his skills. He brings to mind the bespectacled George Mikan, who also didn鈥檛 look the part but nevertheless became one of the NBA鈥檚 first stars.
鈥淕rowing up, I wasn鈥檛 the biggest sensation in basketball. And so to get this national attention, I just didn鈥檛 let it change me,鈥� Avila said. 鈥淚鈥檓 always going to be who I am no matter money, fame or no money, no fame. This is who I am.鈥�
Fans want a piece of Avila, or his eyewear
The so-called 鈥淎vila experience鈥� was on display during and after his 12-point, five-rebound and five-assist performance against Georgia.
There were the familiar chants of 鈥淩obbie!鈥� each time he made a play. And they grew even louder as Avila crossed the court to conduct a postgame radio interview, after which he acknowledged the fans and threw a towel to a kid.
On the other side of the court, a child breathlessly asked a Saint Louis official if he could get Avila鈥檚 goggles.
鈥淣o,鈥� the official said. 鈥淗e needs them to play.鈥�
Told of that exchange, Avila chuckled. 鈥淚鈥檝e been asked for my jersey, my shoes, but never my goggles,鈥� he said.
They鈥檝e been a fixture since Avila began playing. And when he considered switching to contact lenses in high school, he followed the advice of his brother.
鈥淗e said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not you without your goggles.鈥� And ever since, I鈥檝e been Robbie with Goggles,鈥� he said.
Upon finishing his high school career as Oak Forest鈥檚 career leader in scoring, Avila committed to Indiana State for the 2022-23 season. In his second and final year in Terre Haute, Avila was part of a Sycamores team that went 32-7 and lost the NIT championship game to Seton Hall.
Avila follows Schertz to Saint Louis
The next season, , where in two years the Billikens have gone a combined 48-20 and are now enjoying their 11th tournament berth. They set the school record for wins by beating Georgia.
鈥淲inning has followed him everywhere. It鈥檚 not a coincidence,鈥� Schertz said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no person in the program more responsible for 29 wins and where we are than Robbie,鈥� he added, noting Avila turned down lucrative offers to go elsewhere. 鈥淚 could go on for days about what he鈥檚 meant.鈥�
Avila is driven and proud of what the Billikens have achieved.
鈥淚 think we鈥檝e been making a statement all year,鈥� he said.
His playful personality emerged when asked about his time with Schertz.
鈥淒o you want the truth or do you want me to fake it?鈥� he said.
鈥淥ur four years together has been a lot of fun,鈥� Avila said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been special not only just him, but this whole entire team. I love these guys. They love me. So we鈥檙e going to continue to play for as long as we can.鈥�
Asked if he was speaking the truth, Avila winked and said: 鈥淚鈥檒l let you decide.鈥�
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