When Buzz Williams left Texas A&M for Maryland, Aggie fans were aware that a new project was about to come. A long-term looked likely, but Bucky McMillan has made a statement that the new Aggies are ready to compete now.
Since signing some recognizable faces in the portal, McMillan has quickly put the Aggies on the map to make some noise in the SEC.
McMillan spoke at the Dallas A&M Club's Coach's Night to add some clarity to his roster, saying that they're still out to offer a scholarship to someone, so it sounds like McMillan isn't done constructing his roster just yet. Carter Karels of 247 Sports writes that McMillan joked about relating to Arkansas head coach John Calipari in one way, and it's not too far off from being a joke at all.
Calipari and McMillan both had to start from the ground up
When John Calipari first arrived at Arkansas in April of 2024, Calipari famously said, "there is no team." Although McMillan can't directly relate to that exact issue, there was actually one Aggie who had stayed through Williams' departure and McMillan's hiring. That was walk-on Chris McDermott.
In the legendary coaching matchup of Calipari and Rick Pitino last season, Arkansas went on to upset the No. 2 seed St. Johns in the Round of 32. We're not saying that this is the ceiling for Texas A&M last year, but it shows how it's possible to build a talented group from scratch. Guys like Pop Isaacs and MacKenzie Mgbako are going to be competing for the team scoring title. This should make for a healthy locker room for Bucky's first year.
The SEC was arguably the toughest conference in basketball last season, but the veterans who helped shape those top teams either graduated or transferred, meaning a "Bucky Ball" run in the SEC is definitely possible for the 2025-26 season.