One of the biggest topics in college sports has been the impact of the rule changes to the transfer portal which allows players to play immediately after transferring.
There have been a number of impactful players to enter the transfer portal this offseason, but certainly one of the most interesting is former Illinois guard Andre Curbelo.
He came into the 2021-22 season off the back of an extremely promising freshman season, but couldn’t quite replicate that in his sophomore year this past season.
He saw his numbers drop drastically, going from a 49.8 field goal percentage in 2020 to 32.9 percent in 2021.
It seems that he believes that a change of scenery may be the solution going forward, and he has officially made his decision on Friday.
Curbelo posted this message on social media, announcing that he will be transferring to St. John’s University with the caption “Back to where everything started.”
BaCk To WhErE eVeRiThInG sTaRtEd‼️🗽⚡️🤍❤️ #imcominghome pic.twitter.com/AwhSlfEAju
— Andre Curbelo (@a_curbelo3) April 15, 2022
This news has gotten the college basketball world talking, with many excited to see what Curbelo can do in what will likely be a far bigger role at St. John’s.
Sensational fit. Chaos basketball. Curbelo, unscripted and in an uptempo offense, is going to be glorious to watch. https://t.co/7aZY04OtBS
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) April 15, 2022
That’s a good high upside add for Mike Anderson. The duo of Curbelo & Posh Alexander will be fun. https://t.co/z9RF7klZvb
— Sean Paul (@SeanPaulCBB) April 15, 2022
I love this for St. John’s and Curbelo both.
Fast tempo and he’s going to be surrounded by athletes.
Curbelo needed a fresh start and the Johnnies needed a playmaker with the ball in his hands. https://t.co/jiHAUfq7oG
— Terrence Oglesby (@T_Oglesby22) April 15, 2022
Curbelo in an offense that flies up and down the floor and gives players a ton of freedom with shot selection has the potential to be really fun… or potentially rather destructive. I'm still a believer in the kid. Fun fit, especially in the Big Apple. https://t.co/BbmnjgpiVR
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) April 15, 2022
It will certainly be a fun fit for Curbelo at St. John’s. The team was amongst the top scoring teams in the country last season, averaging 79.6 points per game while playing at an extremely high pace.
That works perfectly with the way that Curbelo plays, which should allow him to be an impact player from the start.
Whether it will lead to team success is remained to be seen, but St. John’s will certainly be one of the most fun teams to watch in all of college basketball next season.
