Texas A&M basketball fans will love what Bucky McMillan is preaching just days into the job
Texas A&M basketball is in the midst of a transition between eras. The Aggies are emerging from a six-year stretch captained by Buzz Williams and are now moving into the Bucky Ball era, fronted by former Samford head coach Bucky McMillan.
This represents not only a shift in the guy leading the Aggies out onto the court, but even more than that, the change in styles is profound. This is a reality that is a welcome one for the Aggie faithful, as there had been a growing discontent with Buzz's plodding offensive style— a style that led to some of the lowest shooting percentages in the nation, yet one of the highest offensive rebounding rates at the same time.
As you'd expect with any new coach, McMillan is making the media rounds in hopes of becoming more of a known quantity around the footprint. Though he was already well-known around the state of Alabama, McMillan is quickly becoming a name that SEC basketball fans recognize— and he's preaching a message that will no doubt resonate with dissatisfied Aggie fans.
"We just want to win in the most fun way possible."
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) April 9, 2025
New @aggiembk head coach Bucky McMillan explains what "Bucky Ball" is all about: pic.twitter.com/u7uV6b1gBr
For whatever there is to admire about Buzz's style of play— and there was indeed plenty to admire, admittedly— it would be hard to describe it as "fun." The tough-nosed defense, the hard-charging rebounding, and the low shooting percentages were ugly, but when they worked, they worked.
McMillan is promising a sea change on that front. Fun is back in the Aggie basketball program: A&M is going to look to be an exciting team that forces a lot of turnovers, scores at a high rate, and gives 100% effort play in and play out.
It's that offense piece that is most exciting for A&M fans to hear. Williams' teams were always high-effort, and Aggies were not unfamiliar with press defenses, but the offensive approach is diametrically opposed to what we'll see out of McMillan. With the departure of so many players from the Aggie program thanks to their eligibility running its course, this shift in style will help to reinvigorate some enthusiasm pretty quickly in Reed.