Image Source: Richmond Athletics
Athlete Interviews are posted every Thursday for recruiting advice, what to look for, and more.
Tyler Burton is in his junior season at the University of Richmond, where he leads the team in scoring and rebounds per game, averaging 16.9 and 7.5 respectively. Richmond currently sits 5th in the Atlantic 10 conference, with a 19-10 record. Burton took some time to join me in an interview that discussed why he chose Richmond, the adjustments he had to make, and how he stayed true to his course.
The Recruiting Period
Burton's D1 interest began way back in his freshman year of high school. He recalls, “One day, UMass (Amherst) gave me a call and they ended up giving me my first scholarship offer,” he said, and that call made it clear to him that he could make it to the D1 level.
Burton is from the small town of Uxbridge, Massachusetts and decided the University of Richmond would eb a great fit since it's a smaller school. It helped that the coaches were extremely interested in him from the get go. “The coaches really gave me a great plan of how I was going to excel when I came here,” Burton said.
Related: 9 Tips to Become a More Recruitable Basketball Player
Persistence
“Remember what you said you were going to do before things got hard” is a quote that has motivated Burton ever since he was young. He says he read this quote in a book when he was little and it has stuck with him ever since. Whenever he thought about giving up on his basketball dream, he thought of the quote. “When you say you want to do something, you gotta take the bumps, the punches in the face, and you gotta keep moving forward,” he said.
Related: What are College Basketball Practices Like?
The Adjustment Period
Going from high school to the D1 level is no easy transition, and Burton realized this throughout his freshman year. “I don't think I did a really good job mentally preparing for it,” he said. “It really drove me almost to my breaking point where I contemplated hanging [my basketball shoes] up for good.” However, Burton thought back to the quote that motivates him and now his successes speak for themselves.
Related: Athlete Interview: Quinn Denker on the Biggest Difference Between College and High School Basketball
This past season Richmond stunned Iowa to make it to the second round of March Madness. Be on the lookout for Burton in the pros, as he declared for the NBA Draft in April. Being motivated by his quote, the sky is the limit for Tyler Burton.
Have a story idea or know an awesome athlete/coach we should interview? Email us at [email protected]
* Originally published on June 2, 2022, by Ashton Grenon
