Bucky McMillan Delivers Emotional Postgame Speech to Texas A&M Players

Closing statements can be difficult.

Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan knew exactly how to handle the moment one last time with his 2025-26 team in his first year in Aggieland before wrapping up and closing the final chapter of a book before embarking on the next one.

As he spoke his final words to his team in the locker room, he used the word “together,” which was the perfect way to describe the journey this Aggies basketball team went through throughout the season.

Wise Words

Don’t worry about this game.

Those were the first words that McMillan uttered to his team in the locker room after huddling up the entire team together in the 88-57 loss to Houston in the NCAA Tournament.

“Everything we asked y’all to do this year, y’all did it,” McMillan said. “Hold your heads up walking out of here. It’s a hell of a season. A lot of people wrote y’all off. Y’all came together.”

Everything vocalized was just how the truth-teller embraced every moment as he shared comforting words of encouragement to a team that fought their hearts out on the court.

Even though it wasn’t the outcome they were hoping for, McMillan reminded his crew of what they accomplished in Year 1 of ‘Bucky Ball’ that is going to set the standard for the program moving forward for future recruits and players that wear the Maroon and White.

“People didn’t think you’d do much,” McMillan said. “Came and tied for fourth in the league. Got here to this round and played against a team that may win the natty. They were in it last year. Okay? Everybody, look at me. Y’all are some awesome damn people and we had to get some players on this team. We didn’t know what we could get."

"A lot of y’all have known y’all for a long time. A lot of y’all just got to know just the character you’ve played with and from start to finish. I can go down the line with everybody. Okay? So I’m going to tell y’all, man. Don’t feel bad because this is the last time y’all are going to play together. When you are all in and are good people, y’all are going to have a bond that y’all are going to have the rest of y’all’s lives.”

In a room filled with heartache and tears, the grit, toughness and relentless that the team showed throughout the entire season through the ups and downs will never be taken away as it set the foundation for the future of the high-octane, half-court and full-court pressure along with fast-paced basketball the program is known for and the support from the coaching staff was an area McMillan touched on as some of the stars move on to their next stage of life.

“Y’all going to have me in the corner of your lives the rest of your lives and these coaches the rest of your lives,” McMillan expressed. “You guys are awesome. You are good people who sold the hell out this season. I guarantee there were some times where you were down as individual players. You were up. You were down. Whatever. You kept going. I love the hell out of y’all for that. I love y’all.”

To wrap up the postgame locker room comments, McMillan reminded the seniors and graduates in a heartfelt, compassionate closing that he would be their coach and friend for a long time.

“I’m not just your coach,” McMillan said. “We’re going to be friends for a long time. Y’all the type of people I can rock with. Very proud of y’all. You will have this group forever because you put it in.”

Together.

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