BLOOMINGTON — When the 2025-26 season ended, Indiana basketball guard Markus Burton had a gut feeling he couldn’t shake.
The Mishawaka native spent three seasons at Notre Dame, playing Division 1 basketball in his backyard. After winning Indiana Mr. Basketball honors in 2023, he became the first player in program history to earn ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
As a sophomore, he led the conference in scoring in league games (23.5 points per game). Burton was on track to repeat the feat last year until he suffered what he described as a “freak” ankle injury that limited him to just 10 games.
In weighing his future, Burton felt like he needed to make a “change” to fully realize his potential.
“It was just time for something different, new scenery, just new people,” Burton said. “I felt like it was the right time for me to do it. It’s all love for those people up there in Notre Dame. Those are my guys. I love those guys to death. I just wanted to see who I really was.”
That’s not to say he found anything lacking in his experience playing for the Fighting Irish. He spoke with a smile as he recounted how coach Micah Shrewsberry supported him at every turn, particularly with his growth as a team leader. He also appreciated the way Notre Dame’s staff helped him stay “level-headed” as he found immediate success.
“I give all the credit to them,” Burton said of Notre Dame’s coaches. “They helped me become a man. They helped me find myself, find my voice.”
It would have been easy to run it back in South Bend, but Burton wanted a challenge, and to escape the shadow of his hometown.
“It was just time for me to grow up, really find and see truly who I am myself and just get outside of my comfort zone and come down to Bloomington, Indiana,” Burton said.
Having vanquished concerns over the 6-foot-0 frame that limited his recruitment in high school, Burton received plenty of attention as a top-25 overall transfer. The Hoosiers made him a top target after their previous coaching staff never even talked to him on the recruiting trail.
One coach Burton who did speak with at the time? Drake’s then-head coach Darian DeVries. DeVries offered a scholarship to Burton, his first from a Division 1 school, and the connection they built helped IU cut through all the noise once the dynamic guard hit the transfer portal.
“I’ve known coach DeVries for a very long time,” Burton said. “When a coach trusts you and believes in you to lead his team, that means a lot, and that shows who he really is as a person. I can’t wait to play for him.”
Now, Burton will be the face of DeVries’ efforts to get Indiana basketball back to the NCAA Tournament. For a point guard who describes himself as a “hard-nosed dog,” he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I want to win,” Burton said with a smile. “I want to get IU basketball to where it’s been at, and I feel like I can do that.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Why Indiana basketball’s Markus Burton is excited to be outside his comfort zone
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
