Robbie Avila is back in court, this time in St. Louis, asking a judge to let him lace up for the Billikens one more season. The former Saint Louis University standout filed a lawsuit asking to restore his college eligibility for a fifth year.
As reported by St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Katie Kull, Avila's lawsuit seeks to bring him back for a fifth season.
A Legal Fight Years in the Making
The lawsuit lands amid a wave of eligibility litigation touched off by a federal court ruling in Denver, where a judge granted a class-wide preliminary injunction in Wisne v. NCAA restoring a fifth year of eligibility to Division I athletes who entered college in 2022 and finished four seasons by spring 2026, per Steptoe. That ruling came after the NCAA adopted a new five-for-five eligibility rule in June 2026 permitting five seasons of competition over five years, but the policy excluded athletes who entered college in 2022 like Avila, a gap that has fueled nationwide lawsuits, the same legal analysis notes.
Those competing lawsuits have produced conflicting rulings on temporary restraining orders in state and federal courts, with the NCAA actively contesting the injunctions as they spread across jurisdictions. Avila's case is now one small piece of that sprawling national fight.
Preparing for a Return Before the Ruling
Avila is pursuing a return to college basketball, with his latest lawsuit asking for a fifth season.
But even a favorable ruling wouldn't clear an easy path back to the floor. Any return would also depend on the team's roster situation, on top of whatever the courts ultimately decide.
From Indiana State to SLU Stardom
Avila's path to St. Louis followed time at Indiana State University, before he joined head coach Josh Schertz at Saint Louis University. Schertz had taken the SLU job after coaching Indiana State, and the reunion paid off immediately. Schertz later agreed to an extension to stay with the Billikens, as Hoodline reported in Schertz Stays Put following Avila's breakout season.
Avila played for the Billikens during the 2025-26 season.
The Lakers Detour and What's at Stake
The Billikens won 29 games and reached the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where SLU fell to Michigan, per Saint Louis Billikens Athletics. That February, he played in a memorable regular-season matchup against Duquesne at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis.
Avila played for the Lakers in summer league before turning his attention back to the eligibility fight. Whether that professional detour factors into how a Missouri judge views his petition remains to be seen as the case moves forward.
