DeKALB — As he entered the offseason leading into his contract year, NIU men’s basketball head coach Rashon Burno faced a less-than-ideal situation.
The Huskies were coming off their worst season of his tenure — a 6-25 overall record and a dreadful 2-16 mark in MAC play — and not a single player from the 2024-25 roster was coming back.
It wouldn’t be Burno’s first rebuild, though. Just a year earlier, he’d overhauled nearly his entire roster, replacing 10 players from 2022-23. But this time, the rebuild was starting from zero.
The 47-year-old at least had a small head start — incoming freshmen Taj Walters and Isaiah Stewart had already signed back in November. Still, Burno needed more. A lot more. So, he turned to the transfer portal and even searched overseas, bringing in players like former four-star recruit JJ Taylor and Swiss standout Dylan Ducommun.
By the end of a hectic offseason, the Huskies had added nine transfers and seven freshmen to complete the 16-man roster. Burno explained during NIU’s winter sports media day on Oct. 24 that his roster-building was more intentional this time around.
“This was one of those situations where, instead of just going out to get players, we needed to go out and get what makes sense for us,” Burno said. “We needed to get bigger, faster, stronger. We needed to get durable athletes … This league is a grueling league. A lot of times, you get worn down. You’re playing twice a week, and you may play Kent State and Toledo — the top echelon. So, we needed to get talent and we needed to get athletes who can compete at that level.”
Playing through the grind
That focus on physicality and endurance comes after back-to-back seasons wherein NIU was plagued by injuries. Now, Burno said his staff, in coordination with training and strength and conditioning personnel, has taken steps to adjust training regiments and practice durations.
“Now, it’s just a matter of continuing to do what we need to do in the weight room, do what we need to do in the training room, so we can be really, really at our best on Tuesdays and Saturdays as we gear towards trying to get to Cleveland,” Burno said.
Of course, the path to Cleveland — the longtime home of the conference’s annual postseason tournament — is sure to be a grueling one. NIU was ranked dead last in the MAC’s preseason coaches poll.
Before the Huskies face their first league opponent, they’ll tackle a non-conference slate featuring back-to-back games against Wisconsin (Friday), Grand Canyon (Nov. 10), both of whom appeared in this year’s NCAA tournament. NIU will also go up against tough in-state competition like Loyola Chicago (Nov. 21) and Bradley (Dec. 6).
“We were diligent and intentional in how we built the non-conference schedule to get us ready for December,” Burno said. “Which is a lot earlier than years past, but now, we normally play conference games in January, so we’ve just got to be continuously healthy.”
Players to watch
G Makhai Valentine: The sophomore transfer from Missouri State appeared in 12 games as a freshman last season. Valentine averaged 3.9 points and a rebound per game while shooting 51.7% from the field and 47.4% from deep. In Tuesday’s exhibition win over Quincy, he finished as the Huskies’ second-leading scorer, tallying 12 points on 57.1% shooting to go along with five rebounds.
Burno on Valentine: “He has great length, a lot of size and athleticism. He’s probably one of the best shooters I’ve had here…”
G Dylan Ducommun: Coming all the way from Geneva, Switzerland, Ducommun gives NIU a dangerous threat from three-point land. He averaged 10.8 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Swiss National Team in 2024-25 during the World Cup qualifiers. Ducommun did not see action in Tuesday’s exhibition.
Burno on Ducommun: “He’s a talented guard that can shoot it, that can run a team. He’s probably the best guard I’ve had since I’ve been here.”
F JJ Taylor: Once a four-star recruit bound for the Big 12, Taylor looks poised to be a key starter for NIU — his third school in as many seasons. Though only averaging 3.9 points over his first 28 college games, the 6-foot-8 junior’s abilities could give the Huskies a much-needed scoring punch. Taylor led the way in NIU’s exhibition with a team-high 14 points on 40% shooting while also posting four rebounds and two assists.
Burno on Taylor: “(He’s) kind of a unicorn for us in regards to his overall skill set. He has length, he has size, and he’s really a guard masquerading as a floor man.”
