The latest chapter of Texas A&M men’s basketball is right around the corner, with promises of a brand-new style of play to be found within the confines of Reed Arena. A tale of fast-breaking, high-scoring entertainment has been woven through the offseason as all of Aggieland waits in eager anticipation for its first taste of offense-heavy hoops.
The man behind the vision? None other than Bucky McMillan, an up-and-coming coach who finds himself at just his second Division I job after being hired from Samford. “Bucky Ball,” as it’s come to be known, has arrived in College Station.
From Alabama’s Mountain Brook High School to the Southeastern Conference in five years, McMillan has quickly made the jump to the biggest stage in the country, and now, he has Texas-sized plans for his new program.
The exodus of now-Maryland coach Buzz Williams left A&M more barren than the West Texas desert, with sophomore forward Chris McDermott being the only player or coaching staff member to remain with the Aggies.
However, McMillan got right to work after his April hiring, quickly assembling a roster that is bound to shock many with its competitive nature, despite its last-minute composition. Last-minute, sure, but talented? Absolutely, with the most impactful players being junior guard Pop Isaacs and junior forward Mackenzie Mgbako.
Acting as McMillan’s right-hand men at the SEC Tipoff ‘26 media event, the pair are poised to bring the edge the Aggies need early to show the country they are no pushovers during a rebuilding season.
Isaacs, a transfer from Creighton and former Texas Tech Red Raider, averaged 16.3 points per game before an injury derailed his lone season with the Blue Jays. He registered three 20-plus point games in his short campaign, including a 25-point outing against the Aggies.
As for Mgbako, there was serious talk of the towering 6-foot-9 giant taking his talents to the next level this past offseason, as the former Indiana Hoosier took part in the NBA Draft Combine and workouts. Ultimately, he decided that hitting the books and college courts would be the best way to improve his game, electing to spend at least one season at A&M.
The 2024 Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, Mgbako averaged 12.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during his time at Indiana and will be a slam-dunk fit in the three-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year’s system.
Thirteen other transfers make up the Aggies’ roster, while incoming freshman G Jeremiah Green claimed the final spot on the 16-man roster. Green stood by his commitment to the Maroon and White even with a coaching change and will look to McMillan to develop his skill set.
Getting a chance to contribute to the 2025-26 season has been an uphill battle for some, with no one having a more difficult path than graduate student F Rashaun Agee. Transferring from USC, Agee has endured a rollercoaster battle with the NCAA, though he eventually emerged victorious with an injunction granting him eligibility for the 2025-26 season until his civil case goes to trial.
Living right up to the branding, Agee will be wearing the coveted No. 12 this season for McMillan’s squad, representing grit, determination and the Core Values of A&M.
A considerable amount of international talent has found its way to the roster, as well, with Spanish former pro sophomore G Rubén Dominguez and Finnish Texas Tech transfer graduate F Federiko Federiko set to make their Maroon and White debut.
Southern Illinois transfer fifth-year G Ali Dibba hails from Sweden and rounds out Aggieland’s newest European athletes. Another name who is sure to make a splash in A&M’s starting five is senior G Jacari Lane. A former North Alabama Lion, Lane averaged 17.3 points per game last season and was highly sought after in the portal over the offseason.
Year 1 under McMillan will surely be a sum of many parts, as continuity is a rare commodity in a program that is building itself from the ground up. Even so, the Aggies have reloaded their reserves and sharpened their resolve in hopes of surprising the world of college basketball with a successful year.
McMillan has a belief in what A&M can be and made it known at the SEC Tipoff what he sees in the Aggies.
“I think certain universities will have to choose what they’ll be good at,” McMillan said. “Texas A&M can be good at everything. My goal is always to get to the top of the league. We did that in high school and in the Southern Conference, and now in the SEC.”
While growing pains are sure to make a guest appearance at some point in the season, the hope of new beginnings under McMillan’s tenure is sure to get Reed rowdy when Northwestern State comes to town on Monday, Nov. 3.
It’s sure to be a whirlwind of uptempo action and fast-paced offense, so grab your Beaver Nuggets, rally your friends and buckle up for the Bucky Ball debut that is sure to revolutionize Aggie basketball.
