• Marquette Men's Basketball Announces Nationally Ranked 2013 Recruiting Class

    Marquette Athletics Press Release

    Head coach Buzz Williams and the Marquette University men’s basketball program have announced the signing of Deonte Burton (Vincent HS/Milwaukee, WI), John Dawson (Clovis HS/Clovis, NM), JaJuan Johnson (Southwind HS/Memphis, TN), Jameel McKay (Indian Hills CC/Milwaukee, WI), and Duane Wilson (Dominican HS/Milwaukee, WI).

    Williams and his staff are also in possession of a consensus top-10 recruiting class, which marks the third nationally ranked group since he took over as head coach in 2008-09. Scout.com rates MU’s signees as the seventh-best in the country, followed by Rivals.com (7th), ESPN.com (9th), FoxSports.com (9th) and CBSSports.com (10th).

    November 14, 2012
    For Immediate Release



    Top-100 Recruit Deonte Burton Inks With Marquette
    Wisconsin Product Candidate For State’s POY Award

    Milwaukee –
    Local product and nationally ranked recruit Deonte Burton has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Marquette University men’s basketball program, head coach Buzz Williams announced Wednesday morning.

    Burton, a 6-4, 230-pounder, will arrive on campus this summer and have four years of eligibility with the Golden Eagles.

    “Deonte was the first in this class to commit and I have a distinct memory of his family and coach in my office when it happened,” Williams said. “The love and support for Deonte by his parents and coach was as transparent as I had ever seen in that type of setting. His loyalty has been shown every day since then and I am humbled by that.

    “Deonte has a spirit about him that is infectious,” Williams added. “He is an absolute joy to be around and I have the utmost admiration and respect for how he has responded to the recent hardships in his life. Nothing has ever been given to him, and because of that, he has a firm foundation in what he believes in on and off the floor and is very consistent in his approach to how he works on a daily basis. Because that type of value system is in place, and the access he has had to our program since his commitment, I believe he will have a smooth transition from the beginning. We are very excited to add another Wisconsin native to our roster.”

    A consensus top-100 nationally ranked recruit, Burton continues to climb the rankings. He is currently rated 42nd by ESPN.com, 53rd by FoxSports.com, 55th by Scout.com and 56th by Rivals.com.

    Burton began his prep career at Milwaukee Vincent as a freshman and returned to the school for his junior campaign in 2011-12, posting season averages of 21.0 points and 1.0 rebounds for a team that finished 17-7 overall and advanced to the regional finals under head coach Marquis Hines. He also played one season at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. In 2010-11, he averaged 6.0 points per game as a sophomore on a team that finished 33-3 overall and had eight players sign with NCAA Division I programs.

    Buzz Williams and his staff are also in possession of a consensus top-10 recruiting class, which marks the third nationally ranked group since he took over as head coach in 2008-09. Scout.com rates MU’s signees as the seventh-best in the country, followed by Rivals.com (7th), ESPN.com (9th), FoxSports.com (9th) and CBSSports.com (10th).


    November 14, 2012
    For Immediate Release



    New Mexico Guard John Dawson Commits To Marquette
    Prep Standout Helped Squad to State Semifinals Last Two Years

    Milwaukee –
    Prep guard John Dawson has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Marquette University men’s basketball program, head coach Buzz Williams announced Wednesday morning.

    Dawson, a 6-2, 195-pounder, will arrive on campus this summer and have four years of eligibility with the Golden Eagles.

    “Throughout our tenure here, we have been fortunate in finding guys off the beaten path who as their careers progressed, became integral parts of our program,” Williams said. “I believe John is the next in that group. Our relationship with him is the newest in the class, but because of who John is as a person, it all evolved very quickly.

    “Within the first 30 minutes of my initial trip to see him, it was evident that he came from a beautiful family and had been extremely well coached in his development at Clovis High School,” Williams added. “It became obvious that he was a perfect fit for us not only in what we needed, but more importantly, in what we are about. Coach Autry paved the way for us in his work with John and those around him, which allowed us to sign him in a short time frame. He may not be as well-known as others in our class, but as time progresses, he will carve out a distinct role within our program.”

    As a junior at Clovis High School in New Mexico under head coach Matt King, Dawson helped lead the squad to the district championship and the state tournament semifinals in 2011-12. He averaged 18.0 points, 9.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game and was a first team all-state honoree by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.

    Dawson has been ranked as the top player in the state of New Mexico by several media outlets and is a first team preseason all-state selection entering his senior campaign. He has been a member of the varsity team each season at Clovis and has helped the squad to state semifinals each of the last two years. Clovis is ranked second in the state in the 2012-13 preseason standings.

    Buzz Williams and his staff are also in possession of a consensus top-10 recruiting class, which marks the third nationally ranked group since he took over as head coach in 2008-09. Scout.com rates MU’s signees as the seventh-best in the country, followed by Rivals.com (7th), ESPN.com (9th), FoxSports.com (9th) and CBSSports.com (10th).

    Dawson played travel basketball with BYC Elite under head coach Michael Clay.


    November 14, 2012
    For Immediate Release


    Nationally Rated Guard JaJuan Johnson Signs With MU
    Consensus Top 100 Prospect

    Milwaukee –
    Nationally ranked guard JaJuan Johnson has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Marquette University men’s basketball program, head coach Buzz Williams announced Wednesday morning.

    Johnson, a 6-5, 185-pounder, will arrive on campus this summer and have four years of eligibility with the Golden Eagles.

    “JaJuan is a perfect fit for who we are,” Williams said. “He is exactly what we needed and I am thankful to those in his sphere of influence for trusting in who we are and believing in how we go about things. Coach Chew played an integral role in his signing and the relationship he built with JaJuan, and those around him, was critical.

    “JaJuan is quiet by nature, but very intelligent,” Williams added. “He comes from a basketball family and has been coached at a high level year-round throughout his career. He is able to absorb and execute coaching in an efficient manner. We welcome him with open arms and are excited about the player and teammate he will be.”

    A consensus top-100 nationally ranked recruit, Johnson is rated as one of the top guards in the country. He is ranked 34th by Scout.com, 63rd by Rivals.com and 64th by ESPN.com.

    As a junior at Southwind High School in Memphis, Tenn., under head coach Paul Edwards, Johnson averaged 22.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.1 steals per game. He was the most valuable player in the district for the regular season and tournament and finished second in the state’s Mr. Basketball voting.

    Buzz Williams and his staff are also in possession of a consensus top-10 recruiting class, which marks the third nationally ranked group since he took over as head coach in 2008-09. Scout.com rates MU’s signees as the seventh-best in the country, followed by Rivals.com (7th), ESPN.com (9th), FoxSports.com (9th) and CBSSports.com (10th).

    Johnson competes on the AAU circuit with Bluff City Legends and is a nephew of Philadelphia 76ers standout Lou Williams.


    November 14, 2012
    For Immediate Release


    Junior College All-American Jameel McKay Inks With MU
    Milwaukee Native Returns Home To Conclude Career

    Milwaukee –
    Junior college standout Jameel McKay has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Marquette University men’s basketball program, head coach Buzz Williams announced Wednesday morning.

    McKay, a 6-8, 190-pounder, will arrive on campus this summer and have two years of eligibility with the Golden Eagles.

    “If you follow our program at all, everyone knows that I cheer really hard for those who haven’t had a direct path to their goals,” Williams said. “Jameel is on that list and I love his story. I love his demeanor, and I am thankful he has made a decision to come here. He has been coached very hard and won at every level throughout his career.

    “Above all his personal goals though, Jameel wants to win more than anything else,” Williams added. “We have had unprecedented success with transfers, and one of the core reasons, is they have a thankful heart for the opportunity, but an unyielding desire to have team success. Jameel fits into that category perfectly. We are extremely excited to welcome him back home to finish his career and expect great things during his tenure here.”

    McKay was a first team junior college All-American as a freshman at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa in 2011-12 under head coach Barret Peery. He led the team in scoring and rebounding, chipping in 14.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Warriors. The team finished the season 33-4 overall, including an undefeated conference campaign. Indian Hills claimed the district title and finished ninth at the NJCAA national tourney.

    Fellow Milwaukee native and former MU guard Dwight Buycks is the most recent Indian Hills product to play for the Blue & Gold.

    Buzz Williams and his staff are also in possession of a consensus top-10 recruiting class, which marks the third nationally ranked group since he took over as head coach in 2008-09. Scout.com rates MU’s signees as the seventh-best in the country, followed by Rivals.com (7th), ESPN.com (9th), FoxSports.com (9th) and CBSSports.com (10th).

    The Milwaukee, Wis., native was the City Conference player of the year as a senior at Pulaski High School in 2010-11.


    November 14, 2012
    For Immediate Release


    Local Prep Standout Duane Wilson Signs With Marquette
    Guard Led Team To State Title In 2011-12

    Milwaukee –
    Nationally ranked guard Duane Wilson signed a National Letter of Intent with the Marquette University men’s basketball program, head coach Buzz Williams announced Wednesday morning.

    Wilson, a 6-3, 180-pounder, will arrive on campus this summer and have four years of eligibility with the Golden Eagles.

    "We are extremely excited and thankful with Duane's signing,” Williams said. “I will always remember his commitment coincided with Dominican winning the state championship, along with our team's run in the NCAA tournament, and believing that it was an omen of things to come. I genuinely admire who Duane is, and how his parents have raised him. He has played all over the country and has been able to participate in some of the elite events, which is an experience that is difficult to replicate.

    “He is a very diligent worker in every facet of his life and has leadership qualities that are advanced for his age,” Williams added. “His maturity is immediately noticeable, whether you are talking to him or watching him play, and that will fit perfectly into our culture from day one. He represents what we want our student-athletes to be about and I am anxious to have the opportunity to be around him every day."

    A consensus top-100 nationally ranked recruit, Wilson has made his way up the ratings with every passing season. He is currently rated 55th nationally by Rivals.com, 57th by ESPN.com, 69th by FoxSports.com and 71st by Scout.com.

    A second team all-state honoree by the Associated Press as a junior in 2011-12, Wilson helped Milwaukee’s Dominican High School to a 27-1 record and a state championship under head coach Paul Wollersheim. He posted season averages of 18.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game for the Knights.

    Wilson was also a unanimous Division 4 all-state selection by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association.

    Buzz Williams and his staff are also in possession of a consensus top-10 recruiting class, which marks the third nationally ranked group since he took over as head coach in 2008-09. Scout.com rates MU’s signees as the seventh-best in the country, followed by Rivals.com (7th), ESPN.com (9th), FoxSports.com (9th) and CBSSports.com (10th).

    Wilson’s cousin, Jamil, is a junior on the Marquette roster.


    Scott Kuykendall
    Associate Athletics Director, Media Relations
    Marquette University
    Al McGuire Center
    770 N. 12th Street
    Milwaukee, WI 53233