Burton on Naismith Trophy Watch List – Notre Dame Basketball

Markus Burton Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List, Set to Lead Notre Dame into New Season

The University of Notre Dame’s Markus Burton has added another prestigious honor to his growing collection of preseason accolades: a spot on the 2025-26 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time. The naismith Trophy recognizes the most outstanding collegiate basketball player at the conclusion of each season, and Burton is among an initial group of 50 players considered for the award.

Did you know? – The Naismith Trophy has been awarded annually as 1969, recognizing the most outstanding men’s college basketball player. Past winners include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan.

Burton and the Fighting Irish tip off their 2024-25 campaign tonight against LIU at 7 p.m. ET inside Purcell Pavilion. Last season, the dynamic guard established himself as one of the nation’s premier scorers, averaging 21.3 points per game – a figure that placed him among the top five in all of NCAA Division I basketball.

Beyond his scoring prowess, Burton demonstrated a rare combination of ball-handling and playmaking ability. He was one of only three high-major players to achieve both a usage rate exceeding 30 percent and an assist rate above 20 percent, joining projected 2025 NBA lottery picks Cooper Flagg and Jeremiah Fears in this elite company. According to data from CBB Analytics,burton generated an impressive 34.1 points per 40 minutes, ranking in the 98th percentile nationally.

Pro tip: – Usage rate and assist rate are key metrics for evaluating a player’s overall impact. A high usage rate means the player is heavily involved in the offense, while a high assist rate indicates strong playmaking skills.

Statistical analysis further highlights Burton’s unique impact. according to Bart Torvik’s database, as the 2007-08 season, only ten high-major players measuring 6-feet tall or shorter have reached the statistical benchmarks of a 30% usage rate and 20% assist rate in a single season. Remarkably, Burton is one of just four players to accomplish this feat in multiple seasons, alongside Devan Downey (South Carolina, 2009-10), Russ Smith (Louisville, 2012-13), and Markus Howard (Marquette, 2019-20). This places Burton in exceptionally rare air, demonstrating a consistent level of high-level performance despite his size.

This consistent excellence positions Burton as a key player to watch as the Fighting Irish pursue success in the upcoming season.

Reader question: – What do you think is more important for a guard: scoring ability or playmaking skills? Share your thoughts on how Burton balances both.