Notre Dame basketball borrowing player from football team following Markus Burton injury

Notre Dame announced this week that point guard and leading scorer Markus Burton would undergo surgery for a left ankle injury, and that there is no timetable for his return. With conference play on the horizon, the Fighting Irish are looking to the gridiron for depth.

Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry announced Thursday that the team is adding freshman Mark Zackery IV to the roster. Zackery just wrapped up his first collegiate football season playing cornerback for Notre Dame, and recorded 10 tackles and two passes defensed in 11 games played. While he chose football, Zackery stood out on the high school basketball circuit as a former Indiana Class 4A state champion and Indiana All-Star. 

"I think that Mark will be a great addition to our program," Shrewsberry said in a statement. "I have seen him play many times throughout his high school career. Whether competing with Team Teague, Indiana Elite, or Ben Davis High School, he always does things that help lead to winning. He will be an asset for us with his ball handling, playmaking, and defensive abilities. More importantly, he is a great young man that will add more value to our locker room and culture." 

According to Notre Dame's official website, Zackery won the state championship with Ben Davis High School as a sophomore, and made it back to the title game as a junior during a season in which he averaged 11.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 steals per contest. He also played AAU ball with teammates Logan Imes and Braeden Shrewsberry. As a football recruit, Zackery was named Indiana Mr. Football in 2024, and ranked as a four-star prospect by 247Sports.

The 8-3 Fighting Irish are coming off a 80-65 win over Idaho on Wednesday. Their next game is against Evansville on Saturday.