Illinois basketball: What Andre Curbelo will bring to the Illini

Brad Underwood and the Illinois basketball coaching staff were able to land Andre Curbelo for the class of 2020.

Curbelo is a 6-foot point guard out of Long Island Lutheran High School. He is ranked as the No. 55 player in the class of 2020 and the No. 7 ranked point guard in the nation. Curbelo is a floor general who will bring a variety of skills to this Illinois basketball team next year.

The first thing that stands out to me about Curbelo’s game is his play-making ability. He has great court awareness and a high IQ. He does a nice job of getting the ball to open teammates. He also does an excellent job of penetrating opposing defenses and making them collapse. I think Curbelo’s ability to make plays will be the best thing he will bring to this team next year.

The second thing that stands out to me is that Curbelo plays at his own pace and doesn’t force things. He is a player that doesn’t force shots on offense and is great at getting to his spots. He lets the game come to him and is great at speeding up or slowing down the pace.

Some other things he will bring to this team is the ability to beat the press. While he isn’t a great defender yes, he is still a capable defender.

Curbelo is a player who will contribute in big ways next year. He is a floor general that has great vision and a nice feel for the game. His ability to take smart shots and control things on offense will be a pleasure to watch.