Bobby Hurley is in the midst of his first season leading the Sun Devils through the Big 12, the premier basketball conference. One thing he knew he needed to compete in the Big 12 is size, which motivated Arizona State's additions of Shawn Phillips Jr., Jayden Quaintance, and Basheer Jihad.
Hurley has added to that frontcourt for next season. On Friday, Arizona State secured the commitment of Icelandic center Fridek Leo Curtis.
BREAKING: 7-foot-1 center Fridrik Leo Curtis (@LeoCurt1s), a native of Iceland, told me why he committed to ASU over Alabama, Indiana, West Virginia and others.
— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) January 10, 2025
"They have a modern style where their bigs do everything, shoot, attack and play fast."https://t.co/ULehB1w5yd
Curtis, who stands at 7'1", is from Iceland but currently plays for Cambridge Arts, Technology, and Science in Braintree, Massachusetts. As a prospect, he's been rright on the border between a 3-star and 4-star prospect, with his play this season likely to push him up the rankings.
Curtis was heavily pursued by the college basketball world, with offers from several major programs like Alabama, Creighton, Indiana, and West Virginia. Hurley's ability to get Curtis' commitment ahead over those other schools is a significant development.
As a player, Curtis is very much a modern big man. Last season in Iceland, he attempted just over 100 three pointers and made 40.7% of them. He's a stretch big whose size has also made him a reliable rebounder and rim protector.
Arizona State adds Curtis to a 2025 recruiting class that, so far, only consists of guard Trevor Best. However, the Sun Devils are in the top five for 5-star big man Koa Peat, an Arizona native ranked as the seventh best player in the nation. Peat's brother, Keona, plays on the football team in Tempe.
Securing Curtis is a strong addition for Hurley, regardless of what happens with Peat. It guarantees Arizona State has size once again next year and a floor-spacing shooter who can help pace their offense.