Brian Burton, a member of Rodney Terry's staff at Fresno State, was named assistant coach at UTEP in April, 2018.
Burton was with the Bulldogs as Director of Basketball Operations 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. Guard Deshon Taylor garnered first team All-MWC honors after averaging 17.8 points per game, fifth-best in the league.
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Burton came to Fresno State after spending the previous three years (2014-17) 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. Lamar had two All-Conference players that year, including first teamer Colton Weisbrod. The Nederland, Texas native was one of multiple top-50 players from the Lone Star State recruited and signed by Burton during his time at Lamar. Weisbrod was a first team NJCAA All-American and Region XIV Player of the Year at Lamar State Port Arthur.
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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.   Â
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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.
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Burton worked for current Chicago Bulls Associate Head Coach Jim Boylen at Utah. He was assistant for player development with the Utes.
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In five years as a junior college coach, Burton’s teams racked up 100 victories with a .761 win percentage, four national rankings (three inside the top-10) and three conference titles.
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His top recruit in the junior college ranks was Jonathon Simmons, who currently plays for the Orlando Magic in the NBA. Simmons played for top-10 programs at Midland College and Paris Junior College before transferring to the University of Houston, where he was the team’s leading scorer during the 2011-12 season (14.7 ppg).
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In addition to Simmons, Burton helped produce 22 NCAA Division I signees, 17 All-Conference selections, two All-Americans and two Academic All-Americans during his five years coaching junior college.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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A Plano, Texas native, Burton and his wife, Natalie, have a daughter, Janiyah. He and his three brothers all played at the collegiate level.
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