The first thing that pops out about 2023 Penn (Ind.) guard Markus Burton is that fact he could average 50 a night if he wanted and he wouldn't be labeled a volume shooter. Burton scored 44 points against St. Joseph on Tuesday night on 18-for-25 from the floor.
It was an all-out attack on the rim for most of the night as he can get to the basket any time he wants at this level. For the younger crowd, Burton would be part of the "Jelly Fam" as he has an extensive layup package and finishing comes easy to him. He did have a dunk, but it took about everything he had on a breakaway, so I'm not expecting to see too many of those when he's at Notre Dame, but he's also 5-foot-10.
As a shooter, it's what you'd expect from a scoring guard. He's got a nice mid-range jumper and he already knows how to get to his spots. The elbow jumper is likely something you'll see quite a bit from him in the blue and gold. Burton can pull up from the elbow, but he also has a nice step back, which plays very well off his ability to drive to the basket. Burton's three-ball will likely need some hours in the gym to fine-tune. It's a weapon, but at times he leans too much into it. It's a pure shot, but he'll be more consistent with a little work.
Burton's ball handling is very good. He's able to break guys down and attack, but also create his own shot and then create for his teammates. Right now, Burton's the best player on the floor, so all the attention goes to him when he drives, which makes easier to find teammates, but I don't see that being an issue at the next level. As a comparison, Burton is similar to Prentiss Hubb in terms of being able to create for his teammates off the dribble. He has better ball handling than Hubb (which allows him to attack the rim any time he wants) and plays more under control, but they both can get by their defender in any situation. The difference is Burton's control after he makes his move by the defender. Hubb didn't necessarily have a plan all the time, but Burton does at the high school level.
Defensively, Burton is active in passing lanes and really gets under his opponent. He's crafty for a guy his size, but also made an impressive block on Notre Dame baseball commit Jayce Lee, who is 6'3/6'4. I can see seem being a pest to opponents in ACC on the defensive end. He won't ever be a lockdown defender, but if he can create turnovers and wear out the opposition, then he's doing his job.
At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Burton is going to need to spend time in the weight room to be a consistent player in the ACC. He's obviously not the biggest guy and never will be, but Notre Dame has had several guards in his mold that have done just fine against major conference play.
It'll be interesting to see how he develops over the next few years. Some will be concerned about a guy like him driving to the rim and if that translates to the next level, but Burton consistently dropped 30 on the AAU circuit over the last few years against high D1 talent. But getting bigger and stronger will be key so he can handle the contact of the ACC over the course of an entire season.
If you look at his highlights from Tuesday and his highlights vs 2023 five-star big man Xavier Booker over the summer, it's like watching the same game. Booker's 6-foot-10 frame didn't slow him down as he scored 35 in the win over Cathedral this summer.
I do think he can run the point in college, but he'll be a scoring point guard, which is similar to Hubb. To be honest, Burton reminds me of that 5-foot-10 mid-major kid that destroys major conference teams in March. Jelly Walker from UAB came to mind.
Burton vs. Cathedral
Burton vs. St. Joseph
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Guinness Stadium Pullover Hoodie
It was an all-out attack on the rim for most of the night as he can get to the basket any time he wants at this level. For the younger crowd, Burton would be part of the "Jelly Fam" as he has an extensive layup package and finishing comes easy to him. He did have a dunk, but it took about everything he had on a breakaway, so I'm not expecting to see too many of those when he's at Notre Dame, but he's also 5-foot-10.
As a shooter, it's what you'd expect from a scoring guard. He's got a nice mid-range jumper and he already knows how to get to his spots. The elbow jumper is likely something you'll see quite a bit from him in the blue and gold. Burton can pull up from the elbow, but he also has a nice step back, which plays very well off his ability to drive to the basket. Burton's three-ball will likely need some hours in the gym to fine-tune. It's a weapon, but at times he leans too much into it. It's a pure shot, but he'll be more consistent with a little work.
Burton's ball handling is very good. He's able to break guys down and attack, but also create his own shot and then create for his teammates. Right now, Burton's the best player on the floor, so all the attention goes to him when he drives, which makes easier to find teammates, but I don't see that being an issue at the next level. As a comparison, Burton is similar to Prentiss Hubb in terms of being able to create for his teammates off the dribble. He has better ball handling than Hubb (which allows him to attack the rim any time he wants) and plays more under control, but they both can get by their defender in any situation. The difference is Burton's control after he makes his move by the defender. Hubb didn't necessarily have a plan all the time, but Burton does at the high school level.
Defensively, Burton is active in passing lanes and really gets under his opponent. He's crafty for a guy his size, but also made an impressive block on Notre Dame baseball commit Jayce Lee, who is 6'3/6'4. I can see seem being a pest to opponents in ACC on the defensive end. He won't ever be a lockdown defender, but if he can create turnovers and wear out the opposition, then he's doing his job.
At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Burton is going to need to spend time in the weight room to be a consistent player in the ACC. He's obviously not the biggest guy and never will be, but Notre Dame has had several guards in his mold that have done just fine against major conference play.
It'll be interesting to see how he develops over the next few years. Some will be concerned about a guy like him driving to the rim and if that translates to the next level, but Burton consistently dropped 30 on the AAU circuit over the last few years against high D1 talent. But getting bigger and stronger will be key so he can handle the contact of the ACC over the course of an entire season.
If you look at his highlights from Tuesday and his highlights vs 2023 five-star big man Xavier Booker over the summer, it's like watching the same game. Booker's 6-foot-10 frame didn't slow him down as he scored 35 in the win over Cathedral this summer.
I do think he can run the point in college, but he'll be a scoring point guard, which is similar to Hubb. To be honest, Burton reminds me of that 5-foot-10 mid-major kid that destroys major conference teams in March. Jelly Walker from UAB came to mind.
Burton vs. Cathedral
Burton vs. St. Joseph
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Guinness Stadium Pullover Hoodie
