Sources: Former Saint Louis star Robbie Avila finalizing deal to play for TCU

Robbie Avila, the reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, is expected to enroll at TCU in the coming days after a legal and administrative saga that began months ago. Avila, a 6-foot-10 center known for his passing and three-point shooting, sued the NCAA in response to its age-based eligibility rollout. He first filed in Illinois, where a judge ruled he lacked personal jurisdiction, then enrolled at Saint Louis for the fall semester and filed a new suit in Missouri. Last week, a Missouri state court granted him a permanent injunction allowing him to play this season and also ruled he could circumvent the sport's 15-player roster limit.

The College Sports Commission, which enforces the House vs. NCAA settlement, blocked Avila's return to Saint Louis on Friday. In a statement, the CSC said it could not effectuate a state court order that required it to violate the explicit terms of a federal injunctive relief settlement by giving Saint Louis an additional roster slot. "Mr. Avila may be eligible to play college basketball this season, but there is no roster slot available for him at Saint Louis University," the CSC announced.

With his path to the Billikens closed, TCU emerged as an alternative early this week. Sources told Sports Illustrated that Avila chose the Horned Frogs for a safer path to sustained eligibility and a potential payday around $1 million. TCU, off to a 3-0 start, has six players averaging double figures in scoring but none taller than 6-foot-9, and Avila could slot in as a starter next to forward Xavier Edmonds once eligible.

The key question is when Avila can debut. TCU operates on four four-week academic terms in the fall, with the last term beginning Monday, November 16. If Avila enrolls in enough classes by then, he could play as soon as November 19 against Texas A&M, followed by the Players Era 16 tournament. If not, he would likely have to wait until the fall semester concludes and Big 12 play begins. Sports Illustrated noted that rebuilding an offense around Avila's unorthodox hub skill set on the fly is not tenable, forcing him to play more conventionally, though his 40% three-point shooting and low-post effectiveness should provide an offensive jolt.