From dunking to doctorate

In 1990, Willie Burton (BS, ’13) was the NBA’s ninth overall pick by the Miami Heat and went on to play for eight seasons in the NBA. He averaged 10.3 points over 316 games.

During his college career at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities from 1986-90, he was the second all-time leading scorer with 1,800 points. Burton helped the Gophers reach the Sweet 16 during his junior year and the Elite Eight in his senior year. His No. 34 jersey was retired in 2020 and now hangs in the rafters of “the Barn,” the nickname for Williams Arena.

Today, Burton is back at the University, teaching and working toward his PhD in exercise and sports psychology. After he graduates in 2026, he will be one of the first former NBA players to receive a doctorate.

Adam Bramwell, 44, an intellectual property attorney and University graduate (BS, ’03; JD, ’07) was a Minnesota elementary school student when Burton played for the Gophers in the late 1980s. He would listen to Burton’s games on the radio, and on Sunday mornings when the newspaper was delivered, he’d flip to the sports section to check how many points Burton scored.

“Willie Burton was the man,” he says. “He was the leading scorer, great offensive player, great defensive player, he could jump really high, he could dunk, shoot the three… I mean there was nothing Willie Burton couldn’t do.”

Jon Einess, a retired business attorney (JD, ’87), also remembers this era, watching games at the Barn with his dad, who bought them season tickets for many years. Basketball was a way Einess and his dad, who has since died, bonded.

“He’s sort of a mythical character, Willie Burton; U of M royalty. Part of that reason is that he brought [the program] back from the dead,” Einess says. “Kid comes in from out of state and was just more talented than anyone else they had. He started something from scratch.”

‘I just knew I wanted to make a difference’

When Burton’s NBA career ended in injury in 2004, he decided to substitute teach at his children’s school. “I knew some of the kids anyway, and the rest got to know me,” he says. “It was an opportunity for me to start the process of getting closer to my kids.

“I didn’t want to become a coach because I saw things with coaches that I didn’t want to experience with my own kids, where coaches were spending an astronomical amount of time coaching and working with us, but they weren’t spending as much time with their own kids,” Burton says. “I was more into the social, emotional, talking, engagement aspect with athletes, so then they had me speaking to athletes.”

Burton worked with the Michigan Department of Health, where, under the mentorship of the late Calvin Trent, a substance abuse advocate, he learned how funding and data play into legislative action. After a while, Trent helped Burton realize that he could make a bigger impact outside of the Health Department.

“I learned there that being Willie Burton affords me the opportunity to get doors open that would normally be closed, conversations to be had that would normally be pushed aside,” Burton says.

Inspired by Trent’s leadership, Burton developed Excel U, a curriculum that focuses on helping K-12 students with goal setting, nutrition, academics and coping skills. Though he didn’t know it at the time, Excel U was a form of applied research.

“Everyone was saying, ‘Oh, you’re doing PhD work.’ I didn’t know because I didn’t know what applied research was. I just knew I wanted to make a difference with the population that I felt didn’t have the necessary resources, tools, and programs for them to improve their opportunities,” Burton says.

Back at the University of Minnesota

“I’ve always thought that going into sports psychology, specifically for me, will help an individual become a productive citizen after sports. That’s more important than the game, that’s more important than recognition, that’s more important than all the accolades that come with it,” Burton says.

A 2019 study found that over a third of elite athletes have serious mental health concerns. Issues like burnout, anxiety, depression and immense pressure take a toll. “There’s a lot of mental ups and downs in athletics that the average fan doesn’t see. And in all fairness to them, they’re not supposed to see that,” Burton says. “Sports are designed for you to only witness the actual participation or competition. That’s the main focus, the competition — not the individuals and their lives, or what they’re going through and the pain behind it.”

Burton’s pursuit of his PhD and his dedication to speaking about mental health comes at a time when many high-profile athletes have gone public about their mental health struggles, including Simone Biles, Michael Phelps and Kevin Love.

Professional sports leagues, including the NBA, have responded. In 2023 the NBA’s mental health initiative Mind Health required teams to have a licensed mental health professional and a consulting psychiatrist.

“One of the things that’s really important to understand is that being an athlete, there are certain things that are negative, just like anything else,” Burton says.

Burton plans to graduate in May 2026 and continue lecturing at the University of Minnesota to fight the mental health stigma head on.

“I’m gonna teach. I think the lessons I’m able to give … are impactful. More than just the game, more than just basketball.”

This story is adapted from Minnesota Alumni magazine. It was written by Anna Adamson, a freelance journalist and intramural basketball player pursuing a BA in journalism at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.