Willie Burton facts for kids

Willie Ricardo Burton is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 26, 1968. Willie played for many teams in the NBA and also in Europe. He was chosen by the Miami Heat as the ninth pick in the 1990 NBA draft.

Early Life and High School

Willie Burton grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He went to Saint Martin De Porres High School. His high school basketball team was very successful. They won the Michigan Class C state championship twice. This happened in both 1985 and 1986. In 1990, Willie was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the Detroit Catholic High School Hall of Fame.

College Basketball Career

After high school, Willie Burton played college basketball. He attended the University of Minnesota. He played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers team.

College Team Success

Willie's team did very well during his time there.

• In 1989, his junior year, they reached the Sweet Sixteen. This means they were among the top 16 teams in the national tournament.
• In 1990, his senior year, they made it to the Elite Eight. This put them among the top 8 teams.

Personal College Achievements

Willie was a standout player for the Golden Gophers.

• He finished his college career with 1,800 points. This made him the second-highest scorer in the team's history.
• In 1990, he was named a first-team All-Big Ten player.
• He was a second-team All-Big Ten player in 1989.
• In 1988, he received an honorable mention for All-Big Ten.
• Willie was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1989 and 1990. He shared the MVP award in 1988.
• In 2013, Willie was inducted into the University of Minnesota Hall of Fame.
• His jersey number, 34, was retired by the Minnesota Golden Gophers on January 26, 2020. This means no other player on the team will wear that number again.

Professional Basketball Career

Willie Burton began his professional career in 1990. He was drafted by the Miami Heat in the NBA.

Starting in the NBA

• The Miami Heat chose him as the ninth overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft.
• In his first year, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
• He averaged 12 points per game during his rookie season.

Memorable Game Performance

Willie Burton played for several NBA teams. One of his most impressive games was on December 13, 1994.

• He was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers at the time.
• He scored an amazing 53 points against his former team, the Miami Heat.
• What made this even more special is that he only took 19 shots to score those points. This is one of the fewest shots ever taken in an NBA game where a player scored 50 points or more.

Playing in Europe

After his time in the NBA, Willie also played basketball in Europe. He played for teams in different countries. This allowed him to continue his professional career overseas.

NBA Career Statistics

Here are some of Willie Burton's statistics from his time in the NBA.

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

See also

In Spanish: Willie Burton para niños