by Kevin Edelson, BU Athletic Communications

When Major League Lacrosse decided to move forward with an abbreviated 2020 season this summer, it provided former Boston University men's lacrosse standout James Burr a great opportunity to make a name for himself at the next level.
 
Burr (Questrom '19) made his MLL debut in August 2019 with the Boston Cannons, a team that selected him in the league's college draft that March. He scored two goals in his first game but played just twice for the Cannons, totaling four points (3g, 1a) in his limited action.
 
The Hamilton, Massachusetts, native got a fresh start in 2020, however, as the Denver Outlaws acquired him in a trade and made Burr an important part of their run to this summer's championship contest. Knowing that he would dress for every game during the week-long bubble in Annapolis, Maryland, Burr no longer had to worry about whether or not he'd have a chance to contribute. That, along with the Outlaws' welcoming atmosphere, allowed Burr to integrate seamlessly with his new teammates.
 
"I was definitely nervous going into it, because a lot of the guys had been on the team last year," Burr said. "Everyone knew going in that if you wanted to be a good team you have to come together really quickly, so everyone was super nice, down to earth and outgoing, and they treated me like I was on the team for the past couple years. It was super easy to be assimilated. I think that's why the Outlaws are a great team. It's a great culture."

James Burr is off to a great start this summer with @DenverOutlaws!

Catch the second half now on ESPN2! pic.twitter.com/cXgC1z3ezv

— BU Men's Lacrosse (@TerrierMLAX) July 19, 2020

Burr, who posted a record-setting senior season in 2019 in which he scored 56 goals as part of a 72-point campaign, fit right in on Denver's offense. He notched a goal and two assists in his Outlaws debut and followed that with two goals the next day to help his squad begin the year 2-0. Burr finished the year with four goals, three assists and six ground balls. Not only did Burr mesh with his new teammates off the field, but the on-field chemistry was evident as well, especially with offensive coordinator John Grant, Jr., an MLL great who was still playing attack at 45 years old.
 
"His stick skills are amazing," Burr said of Grant. "He's a legend. I watched all his highlight films as a kid. I just felt like I needed to play to a much higher standard. As a coach, he's super smart about lacrosse. He figured out everyone's strengths pretty quickly."

Here's a look at Jim's second goal of the day.

Our three Dawgs in @MLL_Lacrosse are a combined 5-0 after this weekend's games! pic.twitter.com/XFzqQqUkyH

— BU Men's Lacrosse (@TerrierMLAX) July 19, 2020

Although he finished his collegiate career as one of the country's top attackmen, Burr moved into a midfield role with the Outlaws. It was a switch that Burr was prepared to make thanks to his time at BU.
 
"It wasn't too challenging," Burr said. "I've had experience playing both (midfield and attack). I played middie during my sophomore year of college, so I'm comfortable doing that. I didn't really play that much defense, which is nice. All six guys could have played all six positions (on offense)."
 
Burr did laugh when recalling the one time he did have to play defense, which was against former Terrier teammate Chase Levesque of the Chesapeake Bayhawks during a fast break.
 
"I saw him coming down and decided to give him a free pass," Burr said jokingly. "I just knew I wanted to match up with a pole to try and race off with him afterwards. I tried to stand him up which you can't do. It's just bad defense. I'm glad he scored on me though. It was one of the highlights of my week."
 
The Outlaws ultimately won the game, with Burr chipping in an assist. He did go up against Levesque once in a more natural matchup at the other end of the field.
 
"We had a couple of playful chirps going back and forth," Burr said. "It's fun. Everyone in that league knows each other, whether from playing with each other in college or in the pros."
 
Burr also faced off against former Terrier and Cannon teammate Cal Dearth. Aside from the field of play, Burr was able to catch up with both Dearth and Levesque in the MLL bubble. Of course, that was when Burr wasn't busy with his day job as an associate with real estate firm McCall & Almy in Boston. Instead of working from home, Burr was working from his hotel room in Annapolis.
 
"All of our games were at 7, so I could stay focused during the day with work because we couldn't show up at the stadium until a half hour before the game anyway," Burr said. "I could get a full work day in, no problem. On a game day, sometimes you're getting jacked up a bit too early anyway because you're getting excited. I think working helped me hold that off for a few hours and not become to antsy too early in the day for a night game. It was nice."
 
Also nice was the support Burr received from across the country. When he made his pro debut in 2019, friends and family were on hand to celebrate the moment. While there were no fans in attendance this season, people were able to cheer him on no matter where they watched thanks to all the games being broadcast by the ESPN family of networks.
 
"One of my buddies out in Denver was getting pizza at a pizza shop in Golden, Colorado, and the game was on TV and I scored and he was like, 'Wow, that was incredible timing that I showed up here and saw that happen,'" Burr said. "My grandparents in Vermont got to see me play. It was awesome to have my family be able to watch those games."

Looking for a fourth quarter comeback? Get the ball to Jimmy Buckets.@DenverOutlaws | @MLL_Lacrosse pic.twitter.com/jiVnaT2mUA

— BU Men's Lacrosse (@TerrierMLAX) July 25, 2020

BU head coach Ryan Polley was thrilled to see Burr succeed with the Outlaws.
 
"I'm really happy to see him break through and be so productive for Denver," Polley said. "We all knew that Jimmy had the ability and the scoring prowess, so it's exciting to see him get an opportunity to do so well."

While Burr and the Outlaws did not leave the bubble as champions, falling in the title game to Dearth and the Cannons, Burr had nothing but positive things to say about his experience in Annapolis.
 
"I was super impressed," Burr said. "The league was putting out so much content every day. It was super fun to follow that and I was pumped to see it. The production of the bubble was awesome. They had everything taken care of. We felt like we were in the NBA bubble. It was pretty cool."
 
When the league hopefully returns to a typical summer schedule in 2021, Burr should once again have an impact on the Outlaws' success. He'll certainly be eager to contribute to a franchise that showed a commitment to winning both on and off the field.
 
"The Outlaws organization was amazing," Burr said. "The guys in the front office have everything lined up. That's why I really enjoyed it. Every question was asked, every detail was covered. Nobody was wondering what would happen in a few hours, etc. I had all my questions answered before I even asked them. That's how you know you're in a good organization. I'm super happy to be on that team and I'm excited for next year."