Sports

The Wildest Career In College Basketball History Ends With 4-Star Recruit Getting Kicked Off Team For Bad Behavior

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Andre Curbelo Career Timeline Dismissed
© Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

Andre Curbelo was one of the most promising players in college basketball just five years ago. His bizarre career (likely) came to an end on Saturday night and it was truly one of one.

Southern Mississippi head coach Jay Ladner announced that he has been dismissed from the program.

Curbelo ranked as a top-50 prospect in the college basketball recruiting Class of 2020 and a top-10 player at his position. The Puerto Rican point guard was one of the most creative ball-handlers you will ever see.

Illinois ultimately landed a commitment from Curbelo over Oregon, Florida, Kansas and Louisville, and he immediately became a crucial role player for the Illini as a freshman in 2020. He averaged 9.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game and was named as the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. There was so much excitement about his future. The entire college basketball world was on notice for a rising star.

Unfortunately, Curbelo suffered a concussion prior to his sophomore year that limited him to just 19 games during the 2021-22 season. His numbers took a huge dip (when he was on the court) and he often hurt his team with technical fouls, but there were a few moments of jaw-dropping greatness.

Curbelo ultimately decided to enter the transfer portal prior to his junior year and spent one lackluster season at St. John’s. It took less than 60 seconds for the Red Storm to get the full experience. Literally. He picked Merrimack’s pocket, scored on a breakaway layup with flair, and got T’d up all during the first minute of his first game with his new program.

He also started a pregame juggling routine.

St. John’s suspended Andre Curbelo for disciplinary reasons on more than one occasion during the 2022-23 season so he played only 26 games. The rising senior later left the Red Storm program before the arrival of Rick Pitino, re-entered the transfer portal and committed to Southern Miss.

Andre Curbelo went international!

Curbelo played with the Puerto Rican national team in the summer of 2023. However, he was suspended indefinitely for a “failure to comply with the standards of conduct.” The list of alleged issues in such a short amount of time is rather lengthy.

  • Lost his passport right before the team was set to travel.
  • Got into an altercation with a teammate in front of the rest of the team. Damaged a trash can.
  • Cussed out El Salvador’s coach.
  • Missed mandatory team breakfasts.
  • Made derogatory comments about the team trainer.
  • Had four separate meetings with the team’s general manager about behavior.
  • Unconfirmed rumors about escorts.

He posted the following response on social media after the suspension was announced:

Andre Curbelo eventually returned to college basketball.

Because it was his second transfer without a degree, Curbelo was not allowed to play for Southern Miss until the NCAA approved his eligibility waiver. He sat out the first ten games of 2023-24 and immediately picked right back up where he left off.

Curbelo averaged 13.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season but he only played in 12 games because of the initial eligibility issues and multiple behavior-based suspensions. This is how he arrived to the gym during one of the games he was forced to sit:

He also got ejected on more than one occasion.

Some of his stat lines were truly mind-boggling that year.

  • In a win over undefeated, 19th-ranked James Madison:
    • 5-of-15 shooting, 0-for-3 from three
  • In a win over Georgia State:
    • 5-of-21 shooting, 0-for-2 from three
  • In a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette:
    • 3-of-12 shooting, 1-for-2 from three

Oh, and this happened too:

Andre Curbelo
© Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

Andre Curbelo returned to Hattiesburg as a fifth-year senior for the 2024-25 season. It did not take long for him to get suspended, again. He missed seven games.

The final play of his strange college basketball career took place on Thursday in a loss to Coastal Carolina. Officials issued him a second technical foul, and subsequent ejection, from the bench. You can’t make this stuff up!

Andre Curbelo
ESPN

Ladner finally had enough.

Andre Curbelo’s college basketball career probably came to an end in the most Andre Curbelo fashion. I say “probably” because we can’t rule anything out at this point. What a run!