Wichita State Basketball: What does Jamarius Burton’s commitment mean?
In the form of 6’5″ point guard Jamarius Burton, it looks like Wichita State basketball has found its last piece for their 2018 recruiting class.
It has not been an easy offseason so far for Wichita State basketball. After graduations, NBA Draft decisions, and transfers, the Shockers are down to just four returning scholarship players: Markis McDuffie, Samajae Haynes-Jones, Asbjorn Midtgaard, and Rod Brown. In coordination with this, only 11% of Wichita State’s total minutes played last season are returning for 2018-19.
The team had an excellent year in 2017-18 even though it ended in a first-round upset loss to Marshall. Yet, with this massive exodus, it is hard to quantify how good Wichita State will be next season. While it will be impossible to immediately make up for the roster turnover, head coach Gregg Marshall has been remarkably active on the recruiting front.
In addition to the six players he previously had committed to Wichita State, Marshall snagged another on April 20. As announced live on YouTube, Jamarius Burton will be joining Wichita State’s 2018 recruiting class. A 6’5″ point guard from North Carolina, Burton went through this past season mostly under the radar. Although he has plenty of talent and size, many schools were turned away from Burton due to an injury that he suffered prior to his junior season.
Burton is not highly-regarded by recruiting services (No. 391 per 247Sports Composite) but that should not stop him from being a productive college player. As a senior this past season, Burton averaged all-around numbers of 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. According to Burton’s former AAU coach, the young point guard has more talent than his ranking suggests (The Charlotte Observer):
"“He’s a leader and a winner. On the court, he’s a floor general. Whatever school ends up getting him, they’re getting a pit bull. He’s a natural lead guard who can run a team, score the ball, and loves to play defense. He’ll do whatever it takes to win. Anytime we ever played a team that had a kid that was ranked, that’s who Jamarius wanted to guard. He can guard four different positions. I had him guarding the four man in some lineups. If our four man was having problems, we’d put Jamarius on him. It didn’t matter if he was 6’9″. He knows he can guard anybody.”"
What is so intriguing about Burton is the skill level he exhibits at his size. Even though he is listed as a combo guard by 247Sports, it is clear on film that Burton is best-suited to play the point guard position. At 6’5″, he can see over defenders better than most guards and is willing to distribute on offense. In addition, his quick first step allows him to get to the basket and he can finish through traffic. While known more as a finisher than a shooter, Burton did make 15 of his 40 (37.5%) 3-point attempts this past season as well.
Due to the current structure of the Wichita State program, it is impossible to project what Burton’s role might be. There are simply too many question marks at this point in the offseason due to the roster makeup. The good news for Burton, though, is that he is the only point guard committed to the Shockers for the 2018 class. There are three other guards but all of those are better suited playing on the wing.
It is also fun to note the minor recruiting battle that seems to be brewing between Butler and Wichita State. In just the 2018 class alone, this is the third recruit to include both in his final grouping of teams. Of course, it is also a positive for the Shockers (and the AAC as a whole), that the program has come away victorious in all three cases. Chance Moore, Morris Udeze, and now Burton are all committed to Wichita State despite the efforts of the Bulldogs.
Next: 2018 Big East recruiting classes
In the long run, this commitment should pay dividends for Wichita State. Burton may not be an All-Conference player now nor does he rank tremendously high by recruiting services but he has plenty of talent. With the right coaching and mindset, he could develop into a top-notch guard in the American Athletic Conference.