SOUTH BEND ― A wacky whirlwind of a month continued Tuesday, Dec. 30, for Notre Dame football turned Notre Dame basketball freshman Mark Zackery IV.
Wearing No. 24 – the same number he wore while making 10 tackles in 11 games at cornerback this fall for the Irish football team – the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Zackery checked into Tuesday’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener against Stanford with 11:11 remaining at Maples Pavilion.
Advertisement
Zackery took the first shot coming back out of the under-12 timeout, and had it blocked. He played four scoreless minutes with one rebound in the first half.
Noie: What Notre Dame football player is joining the Irish basketball team?
Noie: How did Notre Dame basketball look the first time out without Markus Burton?
On Sunday, December 7, Zackery awoke with dreams of continuing his first season of Irish football in the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame, despite 10 straight wins all by at least 10 points, then was deemed not worthy of one of 12 spots in the 2025 playoff. That set into motion wheels for Zackery to pick up where he left off back at Indianapolis Ben Davis High School with his basketball career.
Advertisement
On Thursday, December 11, Zackery was cleared academically and announced as a member of the Irish basketball team. He was officially added to the online roster. On Friday, December 12, he practiced for the first time on the floor of Purcell Pavilion. Zackery did not play in the December 13 game against Evansville. Irish coach Micah Shrewsberry said it wouldn’t be fair to ask Zackery to play after only one workout even though he might help with the depth at point guard.
“That was the first time he’s played basketball in six months,” Shrewsberry said after the Evansville game. “Not from a rust standpoint, more from an injury standpoint. Playing football and playing basketball takes two completely different things.
“I want that kid to have a great (football) career at Notre Dame, not helping me. I’m not selfish about this.”
Shrewsberry talked with football coach Marcus Freeman, secondary coach Mike Mickens and Zackery’s parents before he ever talked with the freshman.
Advertisement
“I wanted to get OKs from a lot of different areas,” Shrewsberry said. “He’s still a kid. I wanted to see what’s best for him.
Zackery practiced much of the last week with the Irish to the point where Shrewsberry was comfortable Sunday calling his number.
Zackery’s skills were needed after Irish junior guard Markus Burton suffered a left ankle injury midway through the first half of the Friday, December 5 overtime victory at TCU. Burton underwent surgery on Wednesday, December 10. There is no timetable for his return.
Enter Zackery, who last played a full basketball season as a high school junior when he averaged 11.0 points, 4.3 assists and 1.4 steals. A left thumb injury suffered during the 2024 football season cut short Zackery’s senior season in basketball.
Advertisement
Zackery is the sixth Indiana native on the 2025-26 Notre Dame basketball roster. He needed no introduction to the other five. Zackery is good friends with fellow freshman wing guard Jalen Haralson. He was AAU teammates with junior guards Logan Imes and Braeden Shrewsberry. He played against Burton and freshman small forward Brady Koehler in high school.
Shrewsberry said earlier in the month that there would be no hesitation to throw Zackery into the rotation. There was no hesitation.
When Zackery checked in, he became the first Irish football player to appear in an Irish basketball game since former tight end John Carlson played in three games in 2003-04.
Zackery is the first Irish basketball player to the do two-sport thing at Notre Dame since former forward Pat Connaughton, who also played baseball during his four seasons (2011-15). Like Zackery, Connaughton wore No. 24 for basketball.
Advertisement
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football turned basketball player Mark Zackery debuts
