SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Notre Dame fans know it, ACC fans know it, and now the collegiate landscape is starting to take notice. Notre Dame men’s basketball junior Markus Burton landed on the Bob Cousy Award Watch List on Monday afternoon.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 20-player watch list, named after the Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard. The award is celebrating its 23rd year by highlighting the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball.
The last Irish player to appear on the Bob Cousy Preseason Watch List was Matt Farrell ahead of the 2017-18 season. Fan voting starts on Friday, October 31. More on that below, along with the complete top-20 watch list.
Burton averaged 21.3 points per game last season, which ranks as the third most amongst returners this year. During ACC play, he was even better, averaging a league-best 23.5 ppg.
The Mishawaka native was also the team’s best distributor, averaging 3.0 assists per game last season. He joined Notre Dame great David Rivers as the only players in program history to average both 20+ points and 3+ assists in a season.
Last season, Burton’s true shooting percentage climbed to 54.8 percent while his turnover rate dropped to 14.7 percent. He also increased his three-point shooting percentage to 37.5 percent (up 7.5 percent) and free-throw percentage to 84.8 percent.
2026 BOB COUSY AWARD CANDIDATES
Labaron Philon Jr. Alabama
Darius Acuff Jr. Arkansas
Tahaad Pettiford Auburn
Robert Wright III BYU
Boogie Fland Florida
Milos Uzan Houston
Bennett Stirtz Iowa
Tamin Lipsey Iowa State
Darryn Peterson Kansas
Jaland Lowe Kentucky
Mikel Brown Jr. Louisville
Elliot Cadeau Michigan
Josh Hubbard Mississippi State
Markus Burton Notre Dame
Bruce Thornton Ohio State
Braden Smith Purdue
Ja’Kobi Gillespie Tennessee
Christian Anderson Texas Tech
Donovan Dent UCLA
Silas Demary Jr. UConn
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Bob Cousy Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just 5. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected.
For more information on the 2026 Bob Cousy Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, #CousyAward, on X and Instagram.
– ND –