Chris McDermott, a former high school MVP and current Texas A&M player, remains a dedicated force as he navigates a new era under coach Bucky McMillan.

HOUSTON — More than two years after he was one of Houston’s top high school basketball players, Chris McDermott still keeps a reminder of where it all began.

The former Booker T. Washington standout — once a double-double force who averaged nearly 19 points and 12 rebounds per game — was honored as an Inside High School Sports MVP in January 2024 and received a bobblehead in his likeness.

“I like the bobblehead,” McDermott said at the time. “I like how they did my hair… it looked like me.”

Now a player at Texas A&M, McDermott says the keepsake has followed him to the next level.

“I still have it,” he said this week in Oklahoma City, where the Aggies are preparing for the NCAA Tournament.

McDermott’s path to this moment has been anything but typical.

Following a coaching change that brought in Bucky McMillan, Texas A&M’s roster was nearly wiped clean. McDermott was the lone player who remained, choosing to stay despite uncertainty about the program’s future.

“Chris has a lot of heart,” McMillan said on Wednesday to reporters here. “He’s all about A&M. He could have chose to do other things, but he stayed not knowing who would be on the team. He did that because he loves A&M.”

McMillan said McDermott’s decision reflects the kind of mindset that can carry a team in March.

“At the end of the day, the players in this tournament that are going to play for something bigger than themselves are usually going to give themselves the chance to have the most success,” McMillan said. “I love Chris, and he represents what A&M is about — hard, blue-collar, tough, has a self-awareness, knows his role and plays it to the fullest.”

On the court, McDermott has seen his role evolve, with limited minutes but continued development. He said his game has improved since his high school days.

“I think I’m a better shooter than I was,” he said.

More importantly, he’s learned how to navigate the ups and downs of college basketball.

“Everything not gonna go your way, but just keep working,” McDermott said.