Texas A&M in Strong Position to Land Big Man Transfer

With size still a need, A&M makes its pitch to Texas Tech transfer during official visit to College Station.

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

Since taking over the Texas A&M men’s basketball program, Bucky McMillan has wasted no time assembling a roster for the upcoming season.

So far, eight players are on the Aggies' roster — seven of them coming via the transfer portal.

With recent portal pickups Jamie Vinson and Marcus Hill added earlier this week, A&M has addressed some needs but still lacks size and a true paint presence.

To help fill that gap, the Aggies hosted Texas Tech transfer Frederiko Frederiko on an official visit, even taking him to Olsen Field for a night of Aggie baseball.

Mar 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Samford Bulldogs head coach Bucky McMillan during the first half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Samford Bulldogs at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-11 big man began his college career at Pitt, where he averaged 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds across two seasons. He transferred to Texas Tech last year, contributing 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 74.3% from the field for a team that reached the Elite Eight.

His best stretch came in December, when he averaged 12.5 points over four games, including a standout 23-point, 12-rebound performance in a win over Oral Roberts.

Since entering the portal, Frederiko has heard from schools such as Ohio State, Indiana, Auburn, NC State, and Virginia.

If the Aggies are serious about reaching McMillan’s goal of “doing things with this basketball program that have never been done before,” acquiring big man talent such as Frederiko is a must.

With several programs in the mix for his commitment, A&M may need to pull out all the tricks, — including nights at Olsen Field — to convince Frederiko that Aggieland is the right fit.

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