If you’re a college basketball fan — or just a sports fan — on social media, you’re likely familiar with Robbie Avila. It’s more likely, however, that you know him by his nickname: Cream Abdul-Jabbar.
The Indiana State sophomore center went viral last week after Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones shared a highlight reel of Avila’s 35-point performance in the Sycamores’ victory over Evansville. The post promoting the goggles-wearing center’s career-high proceeded to amass more than 17 million views, with many calling attention to his impressive play and apt nickname.
Cream Abdul Jabbar killing it last night with 35 points pic.twitter.com/LtuYOOJMmP
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) February 29, 2024
On Monday, Avila joined The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz to discuss his newfound fame. And Cream Abdul-Jabbar isn’t his only nickname now, as he has also become known to fans as “Larry Nerd” and “Steph Blurry.”
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Avila said.
I don’t want to spoil too much, but Avila’s appearance on the Le Batard Show is a really enjoyable listen. Despite being his team’s top scorer and an emerging celebrity in the college basketball world, he’s clearly someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously and embraces what makes him unique.
Le Batard and Avila delve into the backstory behind his goggles and touch on a time when he even considered switching to contacts. The 6-foot-10 big man even admits that there were times when he was bullied due to his eyewear and discussed how basketball helped him overcome such teasing.
There are also some hijinks, including Avila getting involved in a debate over Culver’s vs. Portillo’s and dueling top-5 lists of athletes who wear goggles from Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and Tony Calatayud. But more than anything, Le Batard does a great job of reaching the man behind the goggles, and Avila proves to be a willing partner in the feel-good interview.
You can watch the entirety of the interview using the video player below.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.