Brian Burton is the assistant coach at University of Texas El Paso.
Burton served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Fresno State during the 2017-18 season. His behind-the-scenes support helped the team to a 21-11 record and 11-7 mark in the Mountain West Conference.
Burton spent 2014-2017 as an assistant coach at Lamar. He helped engineer a major turnaround in Beaumont, as the Cardinals’ victory total climbed from five in 2013-14 (the year before he was hired) to 15 in 2014-15 and 19 in 2016-17. In his final season, Burton served as recruiting coordinator as the Cardinals won at Oregon State, finished 10-8 in the Southland Conference and advanced to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament for the first time.
Entering his 14th season in collegiate coaching in 2018-19, Burton previously worked as an assistant at Abilene Christian (2011-14) and Utah (2010-11). Prior to ACU and Utah, he had five successful years coaching junior college programs at Richland College, Collin College, Paris Junior College and Midland College.
While at Abilene Christian, Burton aided in the Wildcats’ transition from NCAA Division II status to Division I. During the 2011-12 campaign, ACU quadrupled its conference win total. Burton took over as the squad’s recruiting coordinator for the 2013-14 season and helped assemble a class that included Top-30 players from the state of Texas.
Burton worked for former Chicago Bulls Associate Head Coach Jim Boylen at Utah. He was assistant for player development with the Utes.
Burton has also worked in skill development under some of the best basketball trainers in the country for Nike and the Bryant Skills Academy (formerly owned by current Utah Jazz assistant Johnnie Bryant).
He began his career in grassroots basketball with Dallas Hoop Dreams, an organization that he created with his brother, Jason, who is currently the women’s head coach at Texas A&M-Commerce. He also coached with fellow grassroots organizations Dallas Mustangs and Dallas Showtyme.
Burton earned his bachelor’s degree in American Studies in Business and Technology from UT-Dallas (2005), where he was a two-year starter at point guard. As a two-year captain, Burton led the Comets to their first-ever winning season and conference championship.
A Plano, Texas native, Burton and his wife, Natalie, have a daughter, Janiyah. He is an ESPN College Basketball Analyst, President of Basketball Operations for Rising Coaches, and CEO of Uprise Athletics Group.
Career Notes Summary:
– Coached at almost every level of college basketball from Junior College to Division I for almost 20 years
– Coached at six different Division I schools – Utah, Fresno State, UTEP, IUPUI, Lamar, Abilene Christian
– Coached over 500 Division I players and 15 NBA players
– Part of winning five championships as a player and a coach
– Played four years of college basketball at the Division II & III levels
– Was the starting point guard, two-year captain, and took his team to their first Conference Championship in school history
