Those in the know around Notre Dame basketball knew the departure of Markus Burton was coming. Much like Jalen Haralson, that doesn't make the exit any less painful. Micah Shrewsberry's program is officially crippled for the moment, and there's no clear fix on the horizon.
Burton's announcement that he plans to enter the Transfer Portal comes just three days before it officially opens, and the chaos begins. The star guard marks the fourth Fighting Irish basketball player to signal his intention to leave South Bend.
Markus Burton's announcement is even more painful, considering he followed up a stellar freshman campaign by generating headlines when he first tested the NBA waters, only to return to Notre Dame last offseason. Unfortunately, early in the 2025-26 season, he suffered an injury that took him out of competition for the rest of the season.
Markus Burton’s exit is another crippling blow for Notre Dame basketball’s rebuild
Burton's plans to enter the Transfer Portal are also not expected to be the last player to leave. Insiders claim Cole Serta will follow the rest of his teammates out the door. Such an announcement could come as early as Saturday.
Meanwhile, some Notre Dame fans would love to see head coach Micah Shrewsberry depart as well. However, the Irish look like they'll stand by him even as he starts his second full rebuild in three years.
“Three seasons into his tenure in South Bend, Micah Shrewsberry has yet to finish above .500 overall, or in the ACC,” ESPN’s Jeff Borzello wrote back in late February. “The 2025-26 season has been his worst showing, with the Fighting Irish entering the week just 3-11 in conference play. There’s no appetite to make an immediate move, sources told ESPN, though, and Shrewsberry is still signed through the 2029-30 season.”
How Shrewsberry plans on carrying out the rebuild will be interesting to watch. Most insiders believe the mass exodus of players isn't due to friction with their head coach but rather due to a lack of money (either NIL or revenue sharing). If that's true, it might be worse than if it was all about the Notre Dame basketball head coach, because it would be far more easily fixable.