A judge granted a temporary restraing order Friday for Avila to play just days before the season begins
Oct 23, 2026 at 7:48 pm ET • 1 min read
Saint Louis star Robbie Avila could be returning to the Billikens after a judge granted a temporary restraining order Friday allowing him another season of eligibility, according to media reports.
The judge, Jason Sengheiser, ruled that Avila, who was seeking a fifth year of eligibility in the courts and is already enrolled at Saint Louis for this school year, can be placed on Saint Louis' roster for the 2026-27 season.
Saint Louis opens the season Nov. 2 vs. Lehigh before Avila is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 4 for a another hearing.
Avila has become one of the most polarizing and entertaining players in college basketball to watch, dating back to his time at Indiana State. Avila helped Indiana State reach the NIT title game in 2024 before following his coach, Josh Schertz, to Saint Louis that offseason.
Avila averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists during the 2025-26 season at Saint Louis and led his team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before the Billikens lost to eventual national champion Michigan. With Avila eligible to play (for now), Saint Louis is set to return 10 players -- including six of its seven top scorers -- from a team that won 29 games.
After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, Avila signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and played with the franchise in summer league. An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed contract that allows players to compete for a roster spot in training camp.
Although the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC have been among the conferences to speak out and set sidelines about professional athletes returning to college, the Atlantic 10 has yet to set forth any guidelines surrounding the topic.
