Illinois Basketball: Breaking down the 2020 recruiting class

Andre Curbelo (Puerto Rico)

PG | 6-foot-0 | 170 lbs | No. 55 overall

Andre Curbelo is exactly the type of point guard that Illinois needs to be one of the leaders of the program for the next few seasons. He is extremely well-regarded as a four-star prospect but also appears poised to be a multi-year contributor rather than one expected to make the leap to the NBA as an underclassman. The Puerto Rican lead guard made a name for himself while dominating the court for LuHi in New York. That is when he truly made the leap into being regarded as a Top 10 point guard in the 2020 class.

He might not bring tremendous size to the court at just 6-foot-0, but he is highly intelligent and will be one of the best passers of the nation’s incoming freshmen. Curbelo’s court vision is superb and he is unafraid of making a crafty or risky dish to one of his teammates. His ability to read defenses is very impressive for his age as he quickly finds holes in coverages.

Possibly the biggest key for Curbelo heading into his freshman season is proving that he can be a legitimate shooting threat. Illinois struggled to connect from 3-point range during this past season and Curbelo is not well-known for his marksmanship. In order to be a truly dynamic creator at the next level, he has to keep defenses honest with his perimeter shooting. If he can knock down threes from the opening tip of his career, that bodes well for the future.

On the defensive end of the floor, Curbelo is quite solid as he boasts quick hands that force plenty of turnovers. He does need to add some weight to his frame but that is something that should come as he enters a collegiate strength and conditioning program. He should be able to contribute right away as a true freshman as a do-it-all guard with elite playmaking skills.