Indiana University Athletics
‘Full Circle’ – Burton Ready for this Hoosier Basketball Shot
6/22/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Markus Burton attacks. This is what you want to see; it's what the Indiana Hoosiers need -- an elite point guard who shreds defenses by drive and by shot, who sets up teammates as well as himself.
Consider this recent Cook Hall high-energy practice moment. The Hoosiers are in the midst of a 90-minute session designed to acclimate them to coach Darian DeVries' system, to hone their timing and team chemistry, and to prepare them for the July trip to Peru and then the upcoming oh-so-promising season.
Burton attacks the rim for a reverse layup, thwarting the defensive efforts of, among others, 7-foot-2, 280-pound Samet Yigitoglu. Later, the Notre Dame junior transfer buries 3-pointers and mid-range jumpers, visual evidence to go with his career scoring average of 19.1 points that leaving him open is a bad idea.
"His numbers speak for themselves," DeVries says. "It's his ability to score at a high level against really good competition. The thing that is impressive, though, is he can play-make for people. He's not just a scorer. He makes a lot of really good decisions with the ball and the pick and roll. I'm excited about that."
Or as Duke transfer guard Darren Harris puts it, "Markus is an automatic paint touch. He makes good decisions out of it."
Burton describes himself as a "dog," as an "everyday guy who's going to get you a bucket," as a player well positioned to thrive in DeVries' free-flowing system.
"Coach has been great," Burton says. "He's been coaching me. That's what he supposed to do. He's supposed to coach me hard. He's also been honest with me. He says be who you are. He's not trying to change who I am. I'm not trying to change who I am. I'm trying to come here and do what I'm supposed to do and win games."
At 6-foot and 190 pounds, Burton will never dominate with size, but makes up for it with quickness, vision and that "hard-nosed dog" approach. He was the ACC rookie of the year in 2024. The next season, he led the conference in scoring at 23.5 points in ACC games.
"I know I'm not the biggest. I'm not the strongest. I've got to find a way to stay on the court and help my teammates win. Being tenacious and having fun with it and feeling that nobody can stop me."
Beyond that, he adds, "I want to win. I feel we can do that."
On DeVries' second Hoosier team, Burton figures to be the main point guard catalyst, the guy running the show when the game is on the line.
"I don't feel a lot of pressure," he says. "It's just me playing basketball with my teammates, my family. Show what we worked on and practiced. Go out there, compete and have fun."
Fun leads to this question -- what separates great point guards from good ones?
"Being an everyday guy," Burton says. "Coming in, you have to be happy. You have to be in a good mood. You can't have any bad days. It can't be all about you. It has to be about the team. That's how I see it."
DeVries calls Burton an "elite" mid-range shooter, and the numbers reflect that. In his first two seasons at Notre Dame, he shot 59 percent from that distance.
"When he gets to 15 feet," DeVries says, "that's his shot. "I'm excited about what that can lead to."
Burton is originally from South Bend, but his family moved to nearby Mishawaka and he went to Penn High School, where he became the 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball. As a senior, he averaged a state-best 30.3 points along with 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.6 steals. His 2,273 career points rank 20th in Indiana state high school basketball history.
"I grew up wishing I could play Big Ten basketball somewhere," he says. "I knew all about the Hoosiers and IU. I never thought I would do it. I was just a young kid dreaming."
While not an Indiana recruiting priority under the former Hoosier coaching staff, Burton was a target for DeVries when the coach was at Drake.
"We go way back." Burton says. "He gave me my first Division I offer. He's always somebody I trusted. He trusted me. He believed in me."
Belief didn't change even when Burton spent the last three seasons thriving at Notre Dame before entering the transfer portal.
"This is a full-circle moment," Burton says. "This is a great place to play. It has a lot of history behind it, a lot a great people and fans. It's what I came here for.
"I'm glad I'm here and playing for (DeVries)."
As far as leaving Notre Dame, which is close to home and family, Burton says, "It wasn't a huge change because I'm from Indiana. It was tough to leave my family. I've been around them my whole life, but it was time for me to grow up and find myself and who I am. Get out of my comfort zone and do something different. New scenery. New people. It was the right time for me to do it.
"It's still love for all the people at Notre Dame. Those are my guys. I love them to death, but I'm glad I'm here. This is my home now. I can't wait to play in front of these fans."
With a brand-new team -- sophomore forward Trent Sisley is the only returner on the 16-player roster -- chemistry building is critical. So far, so good, says Burton, who is one of nine transfers on the roster.
"It's been wonderful. It's been great. It's been some of the best basketball I've ever played.
"A lot of it is energy, attitude and having fun with it. Pretty much that's all we've been doing -- pushing each other every day and getting better."
Practice shows a competitive edge that could be a difference maker this season and deliver a major turnaround from last year's 18-14 record.
"We have a lot of great players here," Burton says, "and it's competitive every day. That's how it should be.
"That makes it fun. Day in and day out, every time we come in here, it's competitive. The coaches push us. That's all you can ask for."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Markus Burton attacks. This is what you want to see; it's what the Indiana Hoosiers need -- an elite point guard who shreds defenses by drive and by shot, who sets up teammates as well as himself.
Consider this recent Cook Hall high-energy practice moment. The Hoosiers are in the midst of a 90-minute session designed to acclimate them to coach Darian DeVries' system, to hone their timing and team chemistry, and to prepare them for the July trip to Peru and then the upcoming oh-so-promising season.
Burton attacks the rim for a reverse layup, thwarting the defensive efforts of, among others, 7-foot-2, 280-pound Samet Yigitoglu. Later, the Notre Dame junior transfer buries 3-pointers and mid-range jumpers, visual evidence to go with his career scoring average of 19.1 points that leaving him open is a bad idea.
"His numbers speak for themselves," DeVries says. "It's his ability to score at a high level against really good competition. The thing that is impressive, though, is he can play-make for people. He's not just a scorer. He makes a lot of really good decisions with the ball and the pick and roll. I'm excited about that."
Or as Duke transfer guard Darren Harris puts it, "Markus is an automatic paint touch. He makes good decisions out of it."
Burton describes himself as a "dog," as an "everyday guy who's going to get you a bucket," as a player well positioned to thrive in DeVries' free-flowing system.
"Coach has been great," Burton says. "He's been coaching me. That's what he supposed to do. He's supposed to coach me hard. He's also been honest with me. He says be who you are. He's not trying to change who I am. I'm not trying to change who I am. I'm trying to come here and do what I'm supposed to do and win games."
At 6-foot and 190 pounds, Burton will never dominate with size, but makes up for it with quickness, vision and that "hard-nosed dog" approach. He was the ACC rookie of the year in 2024. The next season, he led the conference in scoring at 23.5 points in ACC games.
"I know I'm not the biggest. I'm not the strongest. I've got to find a way to stay on the court and help my teammates win. Being tenacious and having fun with it and feeling that nobody can stop me."
Beyond that, he adds, "I want to win. I feel we can do that."
On DeVries' second Hoosier team, Burton figures to be the main point guard catalyst, the guy running the show when the game is on the line.
"I don't feel a lot of pressure," he says. "It's just me playing basketball with my teammates, my family. Show what we worked on and practiced. Go out there, compete and have fun."
Fun leads to this question -- what separates great point guards from good ones?
"Being an everyday guy," Burton says. "Coming in, you have to be happy. You have to be in a good mood. You can't have any bad days. It can't be all about you. It has to be about the team. That's how I see it."
DeVries calls Burton an "elite" mid-range shooter, and the numbers reflect that. In his first two seasons at Notre Dame, he shot 59 percent from that distance.
"When he gets to 15 feet," DeVries says, "that's his shot. "I'm excited about what that can lead to."
Burton is originally from South Bend, but his family moved to nearby Mishawaka and he went to Penn High School, where he became the 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball. As a senior, he averaged a state-best 30.3 points along with 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.6 steals. His 2,273 career points rank 20th in Indiana state high school basketball history.
"I grew up wishing I could play Big Ten basketball somewhere," he says. "I knew all about the Hoosiers and IU. I never thought I would do it. I was just a young kid dreaming."
While not an Indiana recruiting priority under the former Hoosier coaching staff, Burton was a target for DeVries when the coach was at Drake.
"We go way back." Burton says. "He gave me my first Division I offer. He's always somebody I trusted. He trusted me. He believed in me."
Belief didn't change even when Burton spent the last three seasons thriving at Notre Dame before entering the transfer portal.
"This is a full-circle moment," Burton says. "This is a great place to play. It has a lot of history behind it, a lot a great people and fans. It's what I came here for.
"I'm glad I'm here and playing for (DeVries)."
As far as leaving Notre Dame, which is close to home and family, Burton says, "It wasn't a huge change because I'm from Indiana. It was tough to leave my family. I've been around them my whole life, but it was time for me to grow up and find myself and who I am. Get out of my comfort zone and do something different. New scenery. New people. It was the right time for me to do it.
"It's still love for all the people at Notre Dame. Those are my guys. I love them to death, but I'm glad I'm here. This is my home now. I can't wait to play in front of these fans."
With a brand-new team -- sophomore forward Trent Sisley is the only returner on the 16-player roster -- chemistry building is critical. So far, so good, says Burton, who is one of nine transfers on the roster.
"It's been wonderful. It's been great. It's been some of the best basketball I've ever played.
"A lot of it is energy, attitude and having fun with it. Pretty much that's all we've been doing -- pushing each other every day and getting better."
Practice shows a competitive edge that could be a difference maker this season and deliver a major turnaround from last year's 18-14 record.
"We have a lot of great players here," Burton says, "and it's competitive every day. That's how it should be.
"That makes it fun. Day in and day out, every time we come in here, it's competitive. The coaches push us. That's all you can ask for."
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