Indiana got its starting point guard via the transfer portal earlier this offseason, signing Markus Burton from Notre Dame. The Mishawaka, Indiana native spent his first three seasons in South Bend, though he played just ten games last year due to an ankle injury, meaning he likely has two years of eligibility remaining.
Burton was an instant impact player from the jump at Notre Dame, starting all 33 games his freshman year, leading the team in both points and assists per game with 17.5 and 4.3, respectively. His sophomore season, the last year he was fully healthy, he led the entire ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game.
Listed at 6’0” and 190 lbs., Burton won’t be the biggest point guard in the Big Ten next year, but he might be among the most explosive and consistent scorers.
When he led the ACC in scoring, Burton was used on a whopping 33.4% of Notre Dame’s possessions, taking 36% of the team’s shots, both good for top 15 nationally. He also managed an assist rate of 22.2% that year, as basically the only thing Micah Shrewsberry had going on offense that year.
With more of a supporting cast around him, Burton won’t be expected to create everything for himself, which should allow him to develop as a passer. As a freshman, his usage rate was 33.4%, but he had an assist rate of 35% that year, showing that he can be a threat as a distributor and scorer.
One thing that stands out watching Burton’s offensive tape is the ease with which he can play at different speeds, never appearing too rushed or casual for the play that’s developing in front of him. He can lead the break, half-court offense, and improvise with a high screen, all with a turnover rate under 20% despite his high usage.
As opposed to some of the quicker guards that Indiana’s had post Yogi Ferrell, who could beat their guys off the dribble, only to be surrounded in the paint with no clear plan, Burton always looks in control and confident in his next move, something that should stabilize the Hoosier attack.
Coming off an injury, his health will obviously be a concern, but again, one that should be somewhat mitigated by the supporting cast around him. He will still be the initiator and might even lead the team in scoring, but the hope would be that a lower usage rate could help him ease back into being healthy after missing most of last year.
Burton’s size and small frame will probably be a bigger problem on the defensive end, one that Indiana will have to compensate for with better rim protection. He’s averaged more than 1.5 steals per game throughout his career though, so he should be able to make up for that with his hands and overall quickness.
Another relative weakness for Burton is his 3-point shooting, an area that’s never been a huge part of his game. He shot 37.5% from deep as a sophomore, but it appeared to be an outlier, as he was closer to 30% in his freshman and junior seasons.
Overall, Burton’s ability to shoulder such a heavy offensive burden and (likely) multiple years of eligibility make him one of DeVries’ most important signings of his brief Indiana tenure. Mike Woodson, Archie Miller, and Tom Crean all struggled with point guard play, and Burton potentially presents a multi-year solution to that problem.
