The Iceland native completed a strong week of FIBA EuroBasket play in an impressive finish in Greece.
Leo Curtis will be a freshman on the Huskers’ 2025-26 roster.
Leo Curtis will be a freshman on the Huskers’ 2025-26 roster. / Nebraska Athletics
Nebraska basketball’s newest freshman appears ready to bring his game back to the United States.
Leo Curtis, the 7-foot-1, 220-pound forward from Iceland, dominated in international competition last week through Sunday during the 2025 U20 EuroBasket tournament in Greece. It was his third straight summer competing for Iceland, having played in the 2024 U20 EuroBasket and 2023 U18 EuroBasket events. The forward ended his campaign in the EuroBasket tourney Sunday, ending with a 63-56 loss to Germany.
The incoming freshman scored 12 points in his final contest of the tournament, going 6-of-16 from the field and adding eight rebounds. Six of Curtis’ 12 points came in the fourth quarter, finishing his tournament leading Iceland in scoring with 14.6 points per contest.
Nebraska freshman Fidrik Leo Curtis playing for Iceland
Nebraska freshman Fidrik Leo Curtis playing for Iceland / Brandon Mesa
Along with his nearly 15 points per game, Curtis finished the tournament with 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game. He led the tournament in blocks per contest and ended 11th in points per game and third in rebounds per contest.
The true freshman was a force throughout the week with several keynote performances, including a 22-point effort in the 88-67 Iceland victory on Saturday over Ukraine. Curtis ended with 22 points, eight rebounds, and two blocked shots in the contest as Iceland relied on a strong opening quarter to push ahead early. Curtis scored 17 of his 22 points in the opening half of the contest.
The previous Saturday, Curtis opened the tournament with a 17-point, nine-rebound, five-assist, and three-steal performance in a 90-76 loss to Serbia. He then followed up with a double-double in a win over Slovenia, as Iceland pushed past in a 76-75 win. Curtis would contribute 20 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks, four assists, and one steal while shooting 6-of-11 and 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
Curtis was on pace to average 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 did push past his papst 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.”
Fridrik Leo Curtis is the second prep addition for Nebraska’s 2025 class.
Fridrik Leo Curtis is the second prep addition for Nebraska’s 2025 class.
Curstis had some brief time in Lincoln before joining his national team, and now returns to Lincoln later this week.
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