Notre Dame basketball adds a football player following Markus Burton injury

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

Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry announced Thursday that the team is adding freshman Mark Zackery IV to the roster. Zackery just completed his first season of college football as a 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 Mark will be a great addition to our program,” Shrewsberry said in a statement. “I have seen him play many times during his high school career. Whether he is competing with Team Teague, Indiana Elite or Ben Davis High School, he always does things that lead to victory. He will be an asset to us with his ball handling, playmaking and defensive abilities. Most importantly, he is a great young man who will add more value to our locker room and our culture.”

According to Notre Dame’s official website, Zackery won the state championship with Ben Davis High School as a sophomore and returned 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 game. 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 rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports.

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