Nebraska Basketball Freshman Leo Curtis Excels in FIBA U20 Opening Matchup

Leo Curtis, a 7-foot-1 forward from Iceland committed to Nebraska basketball, is currently competing for Iceland in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket tournament in Greece. This marks his third consecutive summer representing Iceland in FIBA youth tournaments, having previously played in the 2024 U20 and 2023 U18 EuroBasket events.

In Iceland's opening game of the 2025 tournament against Serbia on Saturday, Curtis delivered a strong performance despite Iceland's 90-76 loss. He scored 17 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, and recorded 3 steals while shooting 7-12 from the field and 3-6 from three-point range. This performance represents a significant jump from his 2024 U20 EuroBasket averages of 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Curtis also had a standout 2023 U18 tournament, averaging 8.6 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Curtis spent his senior high school season at CATS Academy in Massachusetts, where he earned national prep All-America honorable mention honors. He averaged 12.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game during his lone season in the United States.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg praised Curtis upon his signing in May, highlighting his "combination of size and skill set" as an ideal fit. Hoiberg described Curtis as a natural stretch forward who can initiate offense, put pressure on the rim, and impact both ends of the floor at 7-foot-1, noting his athletic background in soccer and significant potential for growth.

Curtis is the second Icelandic player to join Nebraska, following Thorir Thorbjarnarson (2019-2021). He was also teammates with former Husker Matej Kavas. Curtis chose Nebraska over offers from Arizona State, Indiana, and West Virginia, and was rated as the No. 84 player and No. 11 center in the 2025 class by On3.

Iceland continues Pool D play in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket tournament with upcoming games against France and Slovenia. The top two teams from each pool advance to the Round of 16 starting July 16, with the championship game scheduled for July 20. Games are available to watch on the FIBA YouTube channel.