Texas A&M Earns Exciting Grade for Bucky McMillan Hire

The Texas A&M Aggies have their new basketball coach, and some are already seeing a path to success.

Samford Bulldogs head coach Bucky McMillan looks up at the video board during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Texas A&M Aggies hired Samford coach Bucky McMillan to replace Buzz Williams as the new head men's basketball coach after six seasons.

At first, McMillan seemingly came out of nowhere, with the likes of Chris Beard, Grant McCasland and Chris Mack being the names that were most promient in the search.

However, McMillan ultimately became the choice giving the Aggies and up-and-coming star in the coaching industry to lead their program into the future.

And according to On3's James Fletcher III, the Aggies deserve a solid grade for their decision.

Samford Bulldogs head coach Bucky McMillan during the second half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

"After losing Buzz Williams six years in — something that should come as a shock to no one who follows his career — Texas A&M moved quickly to find a replacement," Fletcher said, after giving the Aggies a B-minus grade. "After a name like Chris Beard is tied to the job, it is difficult to land anywhere else with full excitement that the best grade possible will be achieved. However, Bucky McMillan is no consolation prize."

"The former Samford coach, who got his start coaching high school basketball in Alabama, has long been considered a candidate to bring his unique style to the SEC. There are questions about his quick rise to such a prominent job, but there is also plenty hope that if he surrounds himself with the right staff and players it could be a long-term fit which gives the Aggies plenty to look forward to in coming years."

For the Aggies, the hiring of McMillan continues their trend of have made a habit of hiring mid-major coaches for the most part in recent years, such as Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Mark Turgeon (Witchita State), and Billy Gillespie (UTEP). Williams, in fact was the first Power 5 higher for the Aggies as a head coach in modern program history.

Meanwhile, McMillan, 41, has turned Samford into a legitimate program over the last four years, winning 20-plus games in each season, including a 29-win campaign in 2023-24 and an NCAA Tournament berth.

He is more of a risk and less of an established name, but the upside could be massive if the Aggies can give him the resources he needs to succeed, and McMillan can take advantage of them.