Indiana State center Robbie Avila has taken the internet by storm after highlights from his impressive game against Evansville made the rounds online on Thursday.
Avila, who has been dubbed “Cream Abdul-Jabbar,” scored 35 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out five assists, and even got himself a steal in an 85-67 win for the Sycamores last night.
Similar to NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Avila wears goggles on the court. His frame reminds people of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and he has heard the comparisons before.
"Coach [Josh Schertz] always jokes around with me saying that I'm one step slower than everybody on the court," Avila told the Indianapolis Star. "I tell him I'm two steps slower, because they expect me to be one step slower, so I go a little slower than that."
For the 6-foot-10, 240-pound sophomore, it's all about using his unique skill set against opposing teams that underestimate him.
"It's just being able to use my strength and IQ," he said. "Obviously, everybody knows I'm not the most athletic guy, but I'm able to use my strengths toward their weaknesses. Being able to exploit that is something we've worked on."
Avila is looking to lead the 25-5 Sycamores to their first top-25 ranking since a promising player named Larry Bird led Indiana State to the national title game.
Catch some of the best Cream Abdul-Jabbar references from X below.
