Markus Burton willed his way to Notre Dame basketball
MISHAWAKA, IND. (BVM) — Markus Burton is a star at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana. According to 247 Sports, the point guard is the No. 4 player in the state.
But it was not until he got to seventh grade that he took basketball seriously. Once Burton made that switch, he began to flourish.
“I just felt like that was what I wanted to do,” Burton said. “It was just a fun thing to do.”
Burton has had a lot of fun on the court recently after a breakout junior season which led to a big summer on the EYBL circuit, where he racked up offer after offer.
But when Burton received one from nearby Notre Dame, something just felt different about it. He announced his commitment to the program in July.
𝙷𝚎'𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚎 ☘️#GoIrish | @markussburton pic.twitter.com/kviDycRwAC
— Notre Dame Men's Basketball (@NDmbb) November 9, 2022
“I always looked up to Demetrius Jackson, Blake Wesley, guys like that,” Burton said. “The schooling is good too. I felt like I could get a good education at Notre Dame. It just felt like home.”
The opportunity to play for a school as prestigious as Notre Dame was not always something that Burton thought was in the realm of possibility. But he willed his way to make it a reality.
“That was something I didn’t expect a year ago,” Burton said. “With the work that I put in, it happened. I’m very thankful that it happened.”
While he was enamored with the opportunity in South Bend, Burton did feel like he had other good options as well, making great relationships along the way.
“There were coaches that I really liked and they really liked me,” Burton said. “I had a great bond with a lot of the schools that were recruiting me. Once I narrowed some of the schools down and committed, it was hard to let the coaches know. But at the same time, I had to do what was best for me.”
Now every time Burton suits up for the Kingsmen, there is a bit more attention on him with everyone knowing that he will soon be playing for Notre Dame. But that is not something that Burton necessarily shies away from.
Markus Burton has the ball on a string 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/WItOu5fFF3
— Langston Johnson (@LangLang_3) December 30, 2022
“Sometimes it can get a bit hectic, but I kind of like it too. So it’s not too bad,” Burton said. “My mom and dad keep me level-headed and focused on what I want to accomplish in life.”
Burton’s way to get this done is by putting as much time and effort into the game as possible. Or at least as much as he is allowed to.
“I like to be in the gym 24/7. I like to be in the gym all day,” Burton said. “If I could sleep in the gym, I probably would. But I don’t think my parents would allow that.”
Burton has aspirations to become a state champion and a Mr. Basketball winner in his final year of high school, but when he gets to college, he’ll bring that same work ethic to Notre Dame.
