Nebraska Basketball Freshman Leo Curtis Dominates, Leads Iceland to FIBA U20 Win

Curtis is now averaging a double-double in pool play, going for 18.5 points, 10 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals per contest after two games. He is on pace to crush his past EuroBasket performances, in which he averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 2024 at the U20 games after a standout 2023 tournament as part of the U18 competition, averaging 8.6 points and 7.0 rebounds two years ago.

The forward from Reykjavik, Iceland, spent his senior season at Cambrigde Arts, Technology and Science (CATS) Academy in Massachusetts. Curtis earned national prep All-America honorable-mention honors, averaging 12.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game in his lone season in the United States.

“Leo’s combination of size and skill set is an ideal fit for our system” Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg said after Curtis' signing with the Huskers in May. “He is a natural stretch forward who can initiate offense and put pressure on the rim.  At 7-foot-1, he can impact both ends of the floor. He played for one of the best prep teams in the country this past season, and that will help him in his adjustment to the college game. He is a natural athlete who played soccer before turning his attention to basketball. He is just scratching the surface of his potential, and I believe his best days are ahead of him.”

Curtis and his Iceland teammates will aim to compete throughout the competition through July 20 as pool play continues for the first half of the tournament. Iceland remains with its remaining contest in Pool D play, facing France later this week. The top two teams in each pool advancing to the Round of 16 starting on July 16 and the championship game on July 20. Contests can be viewed on the FIBA YouTube channel.

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