TCU men’s basketball is closing in on a major frontcourt addition, with the Horned Frogs nearing a deal to bring in reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Robbie Avila, sources confirmed to the Star-Telegram on Thursday.
CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein was first to report the move.
Avila, who averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season at Saint Louis, had his eligibility expire after last season. But last week he was granted a preliminary injunction for another year. Even with that development, he could not return to Saint Louis because of roster limits, which pushed him toward TCU.
He went undrafted after last season and later played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Summer League. New NCAA rules allowing players to have five seasons of eligibility opened the door for Avila and others to pursue another year on the floor.
The timing matters for TCU. Head coach Jamie Dixon said the program would be without starting center Luke Bamgboye “for a while.” Bamgboye, a Texas Tech transfer, has missed the Horned Frogs’ last two games, including Tuesday’s 100-92 double overtime win over Louisiana-Monroe.
Dixon addressed the situation in a statement Thursday afternoon:
“After exhausting all options to play at Saint Louis, Robbie and his family approached me Saturday after hearing about our injury situation. We have just informed our team that we are in the process of finalizing his eligibility at TCU.”
At 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, Avila gives TCU the kind of size and veteran presence it needs in the paint. His college resume started at Indiana State, where he made the Missouri Valley Conference all-freshman team in 2023 and then earned first team All-MVC honors in 2024.
After transferring to Saint Louis, he became a two-team All-Atlantic 10 selection.
TCU hosts Milwaukee at 7 p.m. Friday at Schollmaier Arena, with a key matchup against Texas A&M set for Nov. 19.
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