Strengths
Right-handed… Burks burst onto the national scene shortly after arriving on campus at Boulder with his natural ability to score the basketball. Almost single-handedly he has helped Colorado climb out of the last place in the Big 12 and challenge conference foes such as Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Texas A&M Kansas. The next step is to win a few more of those close games… Lengthy, athletic shooting guard… Burks has taken on a bigger role in Big 12 play against better competition. He has great scoring instincts whether it be a mid-range jumper or slashing in the lane, Burks can hurt you. He happens to be a great finisher around the rim. He has a knack for drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line. Burks is not one to launch 20 shots a game, but instead, he is a very effective scorer. He is shooting better than 52% on the season… Throughout conference play, the freshman has shown a bit of a competitive fire going after lose balls and tough rebounds. He is beginning to use his lengthy and athleticism to grab and come down with rebounds… He is an above-average free-throw shooter… He excels in transition. He leaks out on the break and can really finish in the open floor.
Weaknesses
Standing at 6'6", Burks will need to add some strength to his frame. Most players due this in between their freshman and sophomore campaigns so we are excited to see Burks come out next season… Despite his natural scoring ability, Burks isn't much of a 3-point shooter. About one-third of his shots are from beyond the arc, but he is shooting around 31% from 3. He has a slow release with little elevation off the ground. Developing better range and consistency, as well as a quicker release would add to Burks' steady offensive arsenal… He needs to improve his handle, which will not only better him running in transition, but also in those one-on-one situations on offense when he tries to breakdown his defender… Defensively, Burks needs to improve in a few areas. His stance is poor, which often times is him standing almost straight-up. He struggles with stronger opponents who simply push Burks around….
