André Curbelo

Curbelo grew up in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico and started playing basketball at age four.{{cite web |last1=Daniels |first1=Evan |title=Recruiting on back burner for Andre Curbelo |url=https://247sports.com/college/basketball/recruiting/Article/Andre-Curbelo-2020-four-star-guard-Kansas-Louisville-Indiana-TCU-BYU-133475071/ |website=247Sports |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=July 8, 2019}} He moved to the New York area when he was 13 years old.{{cite web |last1=Wagner |first1=Joey |title=How Illinois basketball signee Andre Curbelo developed a knack for passing |url=https://herald-review.com/sports/illini/how-illinois-basketball-signee-andre-curbelo-developed-a-knack-for/article_3c525594-8b80-54c3-9e91-a84c2e9de77b.html |website=Herald & Review |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=December 7, 2019}} Curbelo decided to attend Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School in Brookville, New York after being suggested by a family friend. He spoke little English and struggled academically as a freshman, before gradually adjusting and improving his grades.{{cite web |last1=Rubin |first1=Roger |title=Andre Curbelo leads a loaded LI Lutheran boys basketball team in quest for Federation repeat |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/long-island-lutheran-boys-basketball-preview-1.39312760 |website=Newsday |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=December 7, 2019}} In his junior season, Curbelo averaged 15.5 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and four steals per game and was named Newsday All-Long Island Player of the Year. He led Long Island Lutheran to the Class AA title at the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions in 2019, his school's first-ever Class AA Federation championship after their seven previous Federation championships in classes A, B and C. In April 2019, Curbelo played for the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon.{{cite web |last1=Bobb |first1=Maurice |title=Nike Hoop Summit 2019: Viewing Info, Rosters and Players to Watch |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2830608-nike-hoop-summit-2019-viewing-info-rosters-and-players-to-watch |website=Bleacher Report |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=April 11, 2019}}

Curbelo was considered a four-star recruit, according to major recruiting services. On November 1, 2019, he committed to playing college basketball for Illinois over offers from Oregon, Florida, Kansas and Louisville, among others. Curbelo was recruited to Illinois by assistant coach Orlando Antigua.{{cite magazine |last1=Stevens |first1=Matthew |title=Four-Star 2020 PG Andre Curbelo Commits to Illinois |url=https://www.si.com/college/illinois/recruiting/illinois-andre-curbelo-commits-snov-1-2019 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=November 1, 2019}}

{{College athlete recruit start|40=no|collapse=no|year=2020}}

{{College Athlete Recruit Entry

| recruit = André Curbelo

| position = PG

| hometown = Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

| highschool = Long Island Lutheran (NY)

| feet = 6

| inches = 1

| weight = 175

| 40 =

| commitdate = November 1, 2019

| scout stars =

| rivals stars = 4

| 247 stars = 4

| espn stars = 4

| espn grade = 87

}}

{{College Athlete Recruit End

| 40 =

| year = 2020

| rivals ref title = Illinois 2020 Basketball Commitments

| 247 ref title =

| espn ref title = 2020 Illinois Fighting Illini Recruiting Class

| rivals school = illinois

| 247 school =

| espn schoolid = 356

| rivals overall = 38

| 247 overall = 58

| espn overall = 44

| accessdate = September 11, 2020

| bball = yes

}}

Curbelo joined the Illinois basketball team as a freshman during the 2020–21 season. He debuted against North Carolina A&T, playing 19 minutes off the bench and tallying 8 points and 6 assists while Illinois won 122–60. Against Chicago State, Curbelo scored a career-high 18 points while securing 7 rebounds in the Illini's 97–38 win. During a Big Ten regular season matchup against Nebraska, Curbelo registered a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double, the first of his career. In their final regular season game against Ohio State, Curbelo played 29 minutes and set a new career-high with 19 points.

Curbelo was a significant piece off the bench during the 2021 Big Ten tournament championship run, averaging 26 minutes, 11.7 points, and 5 rebounds. In their final two games during the NCAA tournament, Curbelo averaged 8.5 points and 6 assists. During his freshman season, Curbelo averaged 9.1 points, 4.2 assists, and 4 rebounds per game. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was awarded the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Award.{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Joey |title='I think it's natural for him': Andre Curbelo ready to step into starring role for Illini |url=https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Andre-Curbelo-keys-to-the-Illinois-program-Illini-basketball-team-depth-Brad-Underwood-head-coach-173042092/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=247 Sports |date=October 14, 2021}}

Curbelo missed his sophomore season opener against Jackson State due to a concussion. Against Kansas State, Curbelo played limited minutes and then missed several games due to continued head trauma.{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Joey |title=Notebook: Curbelo 'getting better' but likely out against Arizona; Hutcherson reaggravates injury and is out |url=https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Andre-Curbelo-and-Austin-Hutcherson-likely-out-against-Arizona-Illinois-basketball-marquee-basketball-game-Brad-Underwood-177970905/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=247 Sports |date=December 10, 2021}} Curbelo played 19 games during the season averaging 19.3 minutes and 7.5 points per game. On March 28, 2022, he announced that he had decided to leave Illinois and enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal.{{cite web |last1=Selbe |first1=Nick |title=Illinois Guard Andre Curbelo Announces Intention to Transfer |url=https://www.si.com/college/2022/03/28/andre-curbelo-transfer-illinois-point-guard |website=si.com |date=28 March 2022 |access-date=10 April 2024}}

On April 15, 2022, Curbelo announced that he had committed to St. John's.{{cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2022/04/15/st-johns-lands-illinois-star-andre-curbelo-as-junior-transfer/|title=Illinois star Andre Curbelo returning home as St. John's transfer|date=April 15, 2022|work=New York Post|publisher=nypost.com|access-date=April 15, 2022}}

After a lackluster season at St. John's, Curbelo transferred again, this time to Southern Miss. Because this was his second transfer and without a degree, Curbelo was unable to play until the NCAA approved his eligibility waiver.{{cite web|url=https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/sports/college/southern-miss/2023/11/06/southern-miss-basketball-andre-curbelo-sits-season-opener-waiting-ncaa-waiver-jay-ladner/71420965007/|title=Southern Miss basketball opens with win, but Andre Curbelo sits, hoping for NCAA waiver|first=Sam|last=Sklar}} This became a moot point, however, when the NCAA's transfer rule was suspended for the 23–24 season, allowing Curbelo to play.{{cite web|url=https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/sports/college/southern-miss/2023/12/15/southern-miss-basketball-andre-curbelo-lamar-ncaa-transfer/71930714007/|title=Andre Curbelo in line to make Southern Miss basketball debut after NCAA agreement}} He was dismissed from the Golden Eagles on February 22, 2025.

In 2016, Curbelo won a gold medal with Puerto Rico at the Centrobasket Under-15 Championship in Patillas, Puerto Rico after averaging 16.5 points, seven rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.{{cite web |title=Andre Jael Curbelo Rodriguez |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/centrobasket/u15/2016/player/Andre-Jael-Curbelo-Rodriguez |publisher=FIBA |accessdate=February 22, 2020}} At the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Formosa, Argentina, he averaged a tournament-leading 21.8 points, seven rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.5 steals per game and won a bronze medal.{{cite web |title=Andre Jael Curbelo Rodriguez |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/americas/u16/2017/player/Andre-Jael-Curbelo-Rodriguez |publisher=FIBA |accessdate=February 22, 2020}} Curbelo competed at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Argentina, where he averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and a tournament-high 5.9 assists per game and led his team to another bronze medal.{{cite web |last1=Daniels |first1=Evan |title=FIBA u17: Andre Curbelo shines, says two are prioritizing him |url=https://247sports.com/college/basketball/recruiting/Article/FIBA-u17-Andre-Curbelo-shines-says-two-are-prioritizing-him-119533478/ |website=247Sports |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=July 2, 2018}} He averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 assists per game at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece as Puerto Rico finished in sixth place.

{{NBA player statistics legend}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21

| style="text-align:left;"| Illinois

| 31 || 0 || 21.5 || .498 || .161 || .728 || 4.0 || 4.2 || .9 || .1 || 9.1

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22

| style="text-align:left;"| Illinois

| 19 || 4 || 19.3 || .329 || .176 || .745 || 3.1 || 3.2 || .7 || .1 || 7.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23

| style="text-align:left;"| St. John's

| 26 || 16 || 27.3 || .424 || .294 || .705 || 2.8 || 4.3 || 2.0 || .2 || 9.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24

| style="text-align:left;"| Southern Miss

| 12 || 9 || 27.0 || .455 || .250 || .667 || 4.3 || 3.8 || 1.6 || .0 || 13.6

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 88 || 29 || 23.5 || .432 || .218 || .712 || 3.5 || 3.9 || 1.3 || .1 || 9.5

{{S-end}}

Curbelo's father, Joel, played professional basketball for 18 years and represented Puerto Rico at the 1996 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |last1=Muñiz Pérez |first1=Yamaira |title=André Curbelo le roba el show al hijo de LeBron James |url=https://www.elvocero.com/deportes/andr-curbelo-le-roba-el-show-al-hijo-de-lebron/article_d0ab6848-4c2c-11ea-aba3-7f617d078041.html |website=El Vocero |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |language=Spanish |date=February 10, 2020}} His mother, Joann Rodríguez, played for the Puerto Rico women's national handball team. Curbelo's aunt played basketball for the Puerto Rico women's national team.{{cite web |title=PR's Curbelo excels against first European foe |url=http://www.fiba.basketball/world/u17/2018/news/prs-curbelo-excels-against-first-european-foe |publisher=FIBA |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |date=July 1, 2018}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/andre-curbelo/10323 Illinois Fighting Illini bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curbelo, Andre}}

Category:2001 births

Category:Living people

Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players

Category:Puerto Rican men's basketball players

Category:People from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

Category:Point guards

Category:Southern Miss Golden Eagles basketball players

Category:St. John's Red Storm men's basketball players

Category:21st-century American sportsmen