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On The Rise: Deonta Burton
By Ronnie Flores
ESPN RISE
Updated: January 13, 2010, 1:26 PM ET
After sitting out his junior year, Deonta Burton is making the most of his one season at Centennial (Compton, Calif.). Photo by Nick Koza
Imagine having something you can't do without unexpectedly taken away. That's what happened last year to Deonta Burton, a muscular and athletic 6-foot-2 senior guard at Centennial (Compton, Calif.).
After playing his first two years at Cabrillo (Long Beach, Calif.), Burton transferred to Centennial for what he thought would be more exposure. Instead, the move caused him to sit out his junior year due to California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) transfer eligibility rules.
Meet Deonta Burton
Born: July 26, 1991
Favorite TV show: "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
What's in my iPod: Ne-Yo and other R&B.
Mac or PC?: I like a PC better.
Dream car: Lamborghini. It has to be black.
Dream date: Beyoncé
Favorite vacation spot: Hawaii. I went there with my family.
Favorite meal: Pasta
Favorite movie: "Love & Basketball"
Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Lakers
What I'm reading: "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach
Athlete on my bedroom walls: Kobe Bryant
At first, the ruling crushed Burton. However, he decided to use the time away from the game wisely and is now one of the fastest rising guards in the country.
Last summer, the soft-spoken Burton, who wants to stay close to home for college, told us Big West Schools such as Long Beach State were recruiting him. Now UCLA, USC and Arizona are contemplating offering him.
"It was a shocker, but I had to get used to it," Burton said of his junior year situation following Centennial's 58-52 upset loss to Etiwanda (Etiwanda, Calif.) at the 2010 Pangos Dream Classic. "I saw DeMar (DeRozan) getting all this pub and I thought if I would have stayed here (at Cabrillo), I wouldn't get the looks and exposure."
Ironically, last weekend's Pangos Dream Classic was played at Cabrillo, where Burton was a talented player. But he sometimes played out of control and without the purpose he now plays with.
We even joked with Burton on many occasions during his Cabrillo years that he should be playing football because of the defensive instincts he possesses, but it looks like his decision making is now sound.
"It felt good to see these guys; it had been a long time," Burton said of his return to Cabrillo. "At the games, I used to be so mad, but I learned I couldn't take it like that. Coach V (Centennial coach and former Cabrillo coach Vadim Malikin) told me, 'Don't worry about it.'"
Other teams in the Pioneer League and around Southern California are now worrying about Burton. He's a smarter, stronger and more confident than he was before sitting out a year. He is also approximately an inch taller and his upper body is noticeably stronger.
The major additions to his repertoire are a step-back jumper and more confidence in his outside shot, not to mention maturity and a newfound appreciation for the game he thought he couldn't do without.
"I had to look at the bright side," Burton explained. "This year, my study habits are better and I also used the time to concentrate on the SAT."
Sitting out also gave him a new outlook on the game.
"I didn't know it was going to work out like this, but I look at it like I had a head start on everyone else to prepare for the rest of my life," he said. "It worked out great."
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Deonta Burton Workout
By Ronnie Flores
ESPN RISE
Updated: January 13, 2010, 1:22 PM ET
So just how did Deonta Burton improve his game so much in the past year that he's now on the radar of the two major basketball schools in his hometown?
Deonta Burton was an sophomore all-state pick at Cabrillo (Long Beach, Calif.) and was back on his old stomping grounds for this year's Pangos Dream Classic. Photo by Scott Kurtz for ESPNRISEIt started with a visit from former Centennial standout Arron Afflalo, a guard with the NBA's Denver Nuggets. Current Centennial coach Vadim Malikin (who also coached Burton at Cabrillo and is someone Burton said treats him "like a son") was an assistant to Rod Palmer in 2004 when Afflalo led the Apaches to the CIF Division III state title.
A state title is Burton's ultimate goal this season, so when Afflalo spoke, the Centennial star listened.
"He came to our practices and introduced himself," Burton recalled. "I worked out with him at UCLA. We did some college and NBA-style workouts. I really learned a lot. As a sophomore it was all about getting my shots and points. He told me to get out there, work and don't take the game for granted."
Burton described to ESPN RISE exactly what he did during his long year away from the game:
"The whole year, I went hard in practice with the team," he said. "I felt if I could help them on defense (by guarding me), that should translate into the game. Personally, I wanted to get faster and stronger. I lifted weights, did calf raises. I would run carrying a medicine ball above my head until I threw up."
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