Texas A&M basketball head coach Bucky McMillan recognizes the challenge he faces this season.
After accepting the position with only one scholarship player on his roster, he had to rebuild a program that reached the Round of 32 in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Article continues below this ad
McMillan, 41, guided Samford to a 99-52 record over five seasons. During his time at Samford, the team was the Southern Conference regular season champion twice and made one NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
With 14 new additions, including several who moved from the midmajor level to the SEC, A&M faces a tough road to return to the tournament in 2025. Still, internal optimism is evident as A&M’s personnel spoke Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala., for SEC media days.
Junior guard Pop Isaacs and junior forward Mackenzie Mgbako joined McMillan for the SEC Tipoff Event. Here’s what we learned:
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 10: General view of the SEC logo during the second half between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Texas A&M Aggies at Bridgestone Arena on March 10, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
MORE AGGIES: Rashaun Agee temporarily granted eligibility for upcoming season
Article continues below this ad
Texas A&M basketball 2025-26
Aggies hope to follow Arkansas playbook
Last offseason, legendary college basketball coach John Calipari took over at Arkansas after a 14-year stint with the Kentucky Wildcats.
After his first few days in Fayetteville, Ark., Calipari talked about his team — or lack thereof.
Article continues below this ad
“I met with the team, there is no team,” Calipari said of the Razorbacks roster that featured just two scholarship athletes upon his arrival.
Hard to imagine a coach in a more unenviable spot, but McMillan had one less player when he started with at A&M.
Just sophomore forward Chris McDermott stayed with the Aggies following the departure of head coach Buzz Williams to Maryland.
“I saw Coach Cal take the job at Arkansas and say he met with the team, and there was no team. I laughed at that, but now I felt his pain,” McMillan said Wednesday. “We’re not a finished product, but we’re a heck of a lot better than we were in April with no roster.”
Article continues below this ad
Calipari helped lead the Razorbacks to a 10-seed and a Round of 32 appearance after a 22-14 season. Arkansas started SEC play 0-5 but found its rhythm to finish the season 8-10 and ninth in the conference.
“When we had to construct our roster, we had to take the best of what’s out there,” McMillan said. “We won’t win any awards on opening night, but we know that when you look at the Final Four, they all have one thing in common, and that’s talent. So we just had to find talent.”
A&M leaning on experience in 2025
Finding ready-made talent to help A&M win immediately was part of the plan for a smooth transition under McMillan. Out of the Aggies’ 14-man roster, 11 are upperclassmen, with seven being either seniors or graduates.
Article continues below this ad
That plan didn’t come without risk.
Players had to trust what McMillan and his staff were selling about a team that wasn’t quite a team yet.
“We had some very good players jump on board without knowing who they’d play with,” McMillan said. “I’m elated with the roster we have. We have a good shooting team.”
A&M’s roster features five players who have appeared in over 90 career games. That experience, combined with McMillan’s aggressive coaching style on both ends of the floor, is the recipe the Aggies hope can produce wins in Year 1.
Article continues below this ad
“We’re old, we’re deep, and we’ll play a style of basketball that’s hard to play against,” McMillan said.
SEC has doubts about 2025 Aggies
Last year, A&M finished 19th in the final Poll and earned a four-seed in the NCAA Tournament after a 23-11 season. As the Aggies begin a new season and era for the program, national optimism about their chances in 2025 is absent.
A&M was picked to finish 13th in the SEC preseason poll. Additionally, no Aggie player was named to a preseason All-SEC team.
Article continues below this ad
“The truth is, to compete at this level, to have a successful season, you have to have a team that’s mature enough to fight through the adversity,” McMillan said. “Our players know it’s not easy.”
Williams finished his first season at A&M with a 16-14 record in 2020. Bill Kennedy, before him, went 14-18 in his first season back in 2011.
“I saw a lot of familiar faces when I came here (to his hometown of Birmingham, Ala). This village raised me,” McMillan said. “We’re going to do a lot of great things at Texas A&M. When we get it done at A&M, it’s going to be even more special (to come back).”
Article continues below this ad
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.