Robbie Avila, a player for the Los Angeles Lakers' summer league team, has become a notable fan favorite in Las Vegas, with spectators chanting his name and expressing displeasure when he is not on the court. Avila, who was named the 2026 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year at St. Louis University, has played in only one of the Lakers' summer league games entering Tuesday, recording two points, two assists, and one rebound in 14 minutes during a win against the Spurs on July 6.
Despite his limited on-court action, Avila expressed that the fan support serves as motivation. "It's pretty cool to hear the fans cheer my name," Avila told the California Post. "It's a little bit of motivation because right now I'm not on the court and so it's gonna continue to make me strive to be better so that I am out there so I can give them what they want to see. But it's awesome to hear them chant."
Avila acknowledged that his popularity, even without extensive playing time, is surprising given the numerous nicknames he has accumulated. "I think some people don't even know my real name at this point," he said.
One of his most recognized nicknames is "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," a moniker popularized by Kentucky Sports radio host Matt Jones. This nickname emerged in 2024 while Avila played at Indiana State, before his transfer to Saint Louis. Avila, who wears protective goggles reminiscent of NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, considers "Cream Abdul-Jabbar" to be highly creative, ranking it in his personal S tier for creativity, though he places it in the A tier for his own ranking, noting it is the most used nickname.
Avila's personal favorite nickname is "Rob Wave," a play on rapper Rod Wave, his favorite music artist. He places "Rob Wave" in his S tier. "They think it's just funny," Avila said of his family and friends' reactions to his nicknames. "They think it's awesome. Obviously whenever something new comes out or when somebody uses it in a video, they like to send it to me. And so that's why I enjoy them too. Just to see everybody around me have fun with it."
Another nickname Avila highlighted is "Larry Nerd," a reference to NBA icon Larry Bird, which he considers an A-tier nickname, particularly due to its connection to his time at Indiana State. He believes this nickname doesn't receive enough attention.
Avila also discussed other nicknames, ranking them in tiers: "College Jokic" and "Larry Blurr" in B tier; "Steph Blurry" and "Shaquille Oatmeal" in C tier; "Milk Chamberlain" in S tier; and "SLU Alcindor" and "LeBron Frames" in A and B tiers, respectively. He stated he is trying to move away from "Cream" and promote "Rob Wave."