Prior to Basha, Coach Burns coached at Mesquite High School in Gilbert, AZ for two seasons. In his first season at Mesquite, his team qualified for the playoffs but were eliminated by the eventual state champs. The next season his team gave the state champs their only loss during the season.

For the 2009-10 season, in his only year at Hickman High School, Coach Burns was named District Coach of the Year. His team won two tournament championships and the team 17 wins were the most in 7 years at Hickman.

Coach Burns spent the 2008-09 season by visiting over 65 basketball programs across the country. He saw 55 NCAA Programs, 5 NBA Teams, and 5 Small Colleges during his journey. Besides his professional growth, Coach Burns learned more innovated ideas and ways to coach. He networked with several hundred coaches. With in-person program visits and practice evaluations by Coach Burns for each one, Coach Burns kept extensive and detailed notes. He can determine, compare, and contrast a program's opportunity for success. Coach Burns has become a practice expert for developing successful basketball teams.

Prior to his journey, Coach Burns was Head Men's Basketball Coach for Fort Scott Community College.  The Greyhounds improved under Burns’ leadership, going from 8 to 16 to 19 wins. Coach Burns led the Greyhounds to back to back winning seasons, which has happened only one other time in the last 30 years, and to FSCC’s highest finish ever in the 19 team Jayhawk Conference.

Before leading the FSCC Greyhounds, Coach Burns elevated Highland High School in Gilbert, Arizona to a state power. In his three years as Highland's Head Coach, his teams won 70 games. In Burns’ first season, the team set a school record 25 wins and finished as state runner-up. The next year his team returned to the Final Four. In his final year, a new school record was established with 27 wins. For his team efforts, Burns was named Fiesta Region Coach of the Year. During his reign in Arizona, Burns spent his summers coaching the Nike sponsored Arizona Stars. In his first summer, he assisted former Boston Celtic Danny Ainge. While at Highland, Burns also coached Ainge’s son, Tanner, and former Major League Baseball Pitcher Bruce Hurst’s son, Kyle. In the summer of 2003, Coach Burns was selected as one of 12 coaches in the United States to coach a team in the Nike Top 100 Camp in St. Louis, Missouri.

Prior to his time in Arizona, Coach Burns transformed a downtrodden Kearney High School Boys Basketball Program into state prominence. In just his third season as head coach, he led Kearney to their first league championship in 30 years by going undefeated in conference games and to their first Kearney Bulldog Tournament Championship ever. In Burns’ final season, Kearney repeated as league champions and tournament champions.

Before arriving in Kearney, Missouri, Coach Burns spent two years working as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Missouri. He assisted in off-season strength workouts, helped developed player’s skills with individual workouts, and initiated the recruiting process for potential athletes.

Coach Burns also spent one year as an assistant coach at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, and one year as an assistant coach at Bishop Miege High School in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

As a player, Burns played collegiate basketball at the University of Missouri for legendary coach, Norm Stewart. Burns was a walk-on as a freshman, earned a scholarship for his final three years, and co-captain as a senior. Burns was a part of much success as represented in the 3 Big Eight Championships, 3 NCAA Tournaments, and a #1 ranking in the nation.