The Illinois Fighting Illini looked like one of the most dangerous teams in college basketball for much of the season, sharing a Big Ten regular-season championship with Wisconsin.
They got into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed but it was a short-lived appearance, losing in the Round of 32 to the Houston Cougars.
That early exit capped a disappointing season for sophomore guard Andre Curbelo, who entered as a Preseason All-Big Ten selection. Curbelo played in only 19 games on the season, missing a large majority due to a neck injury. He finished his season by only playing 10 minutes against Houston, the shortest amount of time that he played in a game all season.
Still, Curbelo was expected to be a huge part of Illinois’ future, with seniors Trent Frazier and Alfonso Plummer set to graduate as well as Kofi Cockburn’s expected departure via the NBA Draft. It seems that will not be the case, as the rising junior posted a shocking message on his social media accounts Monday, letting Illini fans know he would be transferring.
“Illini Nation … where do I begin?” he wrote. “These past two years have been insane. So many amazing moments and some hard times that we had to battle through. I am so thankful I could be a part of this program.
“Without my teammates and staff, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all of [the] things that I did personally & that WE did collectively. I’m thankful that I was a part of two amazing teams here at the University of Illinois & for the relationships I have made. I’m thankful for all of the support from The Orange Krush, you all were my energy and the reason I never stopped pushing.
“Unfortunately, my time here at UIUC has come to an end & I have decided to enter the transfer portal.”
Much love 🧡💙🤝 pic.twitter.com/mUXRhImkt8
— Andre Curbelo (@papicurbelo11) March 28, 2022
This news certainly took the college basketball world by surprise with many Illinois fans taking to social media to thank Curbelo for his time with the program.
His energy and his vision were a blast to watch. Yes he took risks, but sometimes those risks led to some pretty good rewards. Glad he was here two years. Good luck to him wherever he lands. #Illini https://t.co/FnIoTFhl6i
— Michael (@MichaelKiser31) March 28, 2022
Curbelo was a dynamic and innovative player to watch! I wish all good things for him in the future! https://t.co/MstQHxKXHE
— Erika Harold (@ErikaHarold) March 28, 2022
Nothing but respect and love for this #illini. He deserves it. Illinois doesn’t win the BTT 🏆 without him last season. And they don’t beat Iowa on the final home game of the year to capture the regular season 🏆 this year. That’s what you cal an impact. God bless & 100% health https://t.co/yUefD3hmI1
— Ryan Evan (@200ColumnsRy) March 28, 2022
Illinois and the Big Ten haven't seen a player quite like Andre Curbelo, and may not ever again. Bummed the fun didn't last four years, but glad we got to see his flashes of brilliance for two seasons. 2x Big Ten Champ ✌️ https://t.co/tJSY4WC42B
— Alex Roux (@a_roux) March 28, 2022
Though his sophomore season didn’t quite turn out the way that many had envisioned, Curbelo is still very clearly a talented player and will surely be one of the top transfer portal recruits this offseason.