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Texas A&M Aggies Rank Last in SEC in Intriguing Stat

Does new Coach Bucky McMillan has his work cut out for him in year one, or is it a blessing in disguise?

DJ Burton

Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV (4) reacts with teammates against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena.
Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV (4) reacts with teammates against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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New Texas A&M basketball coach Bucky McMillan has his work cut out for him heading into his first season with the Fightin’ Farmers.

McMillan will be fighting an uphill battle, as the Aggies are returning zero percent of their scoring contributors, per Jon Rothstein on X.

A&M, who had a solid core group of players who had been with the program for seemingly forever, faced a mass exodus after then-coach Buzz Williams left Aggieland for Maryland. Point guard Wade Taylor IV averaged 15.7 points last season and has since graduated. Forwards Pharrell Payne and Solomon Washington accounted for 15.1 combined points per game last season, and have since followed Williams to Maryland. Every major contributor from the 2024-25 squad has either transferred or graduated.

Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV (4), forward Pharrel Payne (21), guard Hayden Hefner (2) and forward Andersson Garcia,
Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV (4), forward Pharrel Payne (21), guard Hayden Hefner (2) and forward Andersson Garcia, back, looks on as Yale Bulldogs guard Bez Mbeng not pictured, shoots a technical free throw during the first half at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Aggies’ position on the list heading into last season is the inverse of this offseason’s. The team held 82.5 percent of its returning scoring, which was to be expected with the continuity of Williams’ tenure in Aggieland.

What stands out about last year’s list is the Kentucky Wildcats. After losing head coach John Calipari, the Wildcats were in a similar situation as the Aggies. With no returning production, Mitch Barnhart led Kentucky to a 24-12 record and a Sweet Sixteen appearance, something McMillan will be looking to emulate.

Considering he had one player on the roster when he arrived, McMillan has done an impressive job building a roster from the ashes. He poached Mackenzie Mgbako from the NBA Draft, landed a freakish big man from Texas Tech, and flipped star guard Pop Isaacs, among other key pieces.

“We brought in 12 players on recruiting visits,” McMillan said at the Dallas A&M Club Coach’s Night. “All 12 committed.”

The 12th Man will get a chance to see their new-look basketball team and learn “Bucky-Ball” first-hand this fall.

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DJ Burton
DJ BURTON

DJ Burton is a journalist from Kingwood, Texas. He is a credentialed writer for Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He is a senior journalism major with a sport management minor at Texas A&M. Before attending A&M, Burton played offensive line for two seasons at Hiram College in northeast Ohio, where he studied sport management. Burton brings experience covering football, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. He also serves as a senior sports writer for A&M’s student newspaper, The Battalion.

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