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No NBA Draft Combine invitation for Notre Dame guard Markus Burton

Tell us that Notre Dame men's basketball guard Markus Burton will return for his sophomore year without telling us that Notre Dame men's basketball guard Markus Burton will return for his sophomore year .

The NBA told us over the weekend.

Shortly before 6 p.m., in a classic late afternoon/early evening news dump on Friday, the NBA announced the 78 players invited to next week's draft combine in Chicago. It was also announced Saturday that the 44 players were invited to the G League Elite Camp and had a chance to earn future combine considerations.

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Burton's name was missing from both lists. He’s not a lottery or first-round pick. He may not be worthy of any of the 58 picks in June's draft. Based on last season alone, he should be one of those 132.

After leading Notre Dame in points (17.2), assists (4.2), steals (1.9) and minutes (33.5) while also being named the Atlantic Coast Conference's rookie of the year, Burton is hardly considered more than a curiosity.

He had a good year, but…

Thursday was the deadline for NBA teams to submit their wish lists of prospects they would like to evaluate in Chicago. By Friday, it was clear that Burton's name wasn't appearing on many – or perhaps even any – of those wish lists.

Maybe he didn't do enough last season. Maybe he wasn't tall enough or athletic enough. Maybe the scouts didn't give him the attention he deserved in January and February as they walked around Purcell Pavilion evaluating this guy or that guy.

Or maybe he doesn't have the same last name as one of the game's greats, which would certainly have cemented an invitation.

The fact that his college classmate Bronny James, the son of You-Know-Who, was invited to Chicago is just plain silly. Embarrassingly. At least Burton showed he could play at the college level. He deserves an invitation.

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Do you know how many freshmen who have a history of averaging 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.6 minutes and have heart problems are invited to Chicago by the Combine? None. Well, one.

Shows that it's not what you know, but who you know that matters.

The fact that Burton won't be in Chicago next week isn't necessarily a bad thing. It would have been nice to get there and play some five-on-five, maybe make an impression on someone high up in the NBA hierarchy and get feedback on what he needs to do to become a true pro prospect . This is obvious – shoot at a higher rate and take better care of the ball. Be a point guard, not a shooting guard who plays the point.

The combination shot would also have left the door open for Burton to undergo standard pre-draft testing. High jump. Three-cone sprint. Vertical jump. Height, weight and hand measurements.

Of the 195 early entrants officially announced last week, only one was not at least 6 feet tall. Burton is officially listed at 5-foot-11. Measured without shoes, it should be closer to 5-9.

So he doesn't get poked and prodded and has no chance of making a good first or second impression. Do you know who can handle it best? Burton.

On April 11, Burton announced via social media – seemingly rather hastily and somewhat reluctantly – that he would submit his name for the NBA draft with the option of returning to school. Had he had great success at the combine, he would have been the only runner-up finisher in program history to another former Michigan schoolboy star. Blake Wesley parlayed a meteoric first-year rise at Notre Dame into a first-round pick in the 2022 draft.

Burton has until May 29 to decide whether he will remain in the draft or return to school. Don't expect an official announcement (“I'm back!”), if even a word. Burton will take the necessary steps to walk away from his NBA dream and quietly return to school.

A good life awaits you there. Burton is not NBA ready. He may never be NBA ready. That doesn't mean he can't be a good college player.

Regardless of what Burton's basketball future looks like beyond Notre Dame, the backup plan is in order. Maybe better in the here and now than in the NBA. College can be a life he certainly never dreamed of as a college basketball player.

Burton will return to Notre Dame. Burton stands to make a lot of money thanks to Name, Image and Likeness – think a comfortable six figures. He will be close to his family and friends. He will play a 3-point contest away from home in his hometown. He will start. He will play a lot. He will be the face of the program as it continues its journey back to respectability. He will help Micah Shrewsberry grow this program.

He has a solid/stable/safe situation with a chance to do something next year and the year after that he might never do in the NBA.

Be great.

Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact: (574) 235-6153.

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