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New Texas A&M Coach Has Message For Aggieland

Coach Bucky McMillan shared a message for the 12th Man on Saturday.
DJ Burton|
Samford Bulldogs head coach Bucky McMillan during the NCAA first round practice session at Delta Center.
Samford Bulldogs head coach Bucky McMillan during the NCAA first round practice session at Delta Center. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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Texas A&M Aggies

New Texas A&M Aggies basketball coach Bucky McMillan is set to arrive in College Station, Texas on Monday. Before his arrival, he shared a message to the local community on Saturday.

“I couldn’t be more excited to wake up to the reality of being the head basketball coach at Texas A&M,” McMillan said. “I am motivated by the vision of Texas A&M's leadership to compete at the highest levels of college basketball.”

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

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, McMillan is familiar with the SEC and its reputation. As the head coach at Mountain Brook High School, McMillan helped current Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford navigate the SEC recruiting world on his journey to LSU. Watford chose the Tigers over Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Mississippi State.

McMillan’s play style could not be further from former A&M coach Buzz Williams’. The slow, offensive rebound-oriented, gritty brand of basketball of the old regime is being replaced by “Bucky Ball,” a style originated from McMillan himself. Bucky Ball consists of high-tempo, stingy defense and smart shots from beyond the arc.

“We play the kind of style that wins,” McMillan said. “We just want to do it faster!”

McMillan’s message was clear: He wants to play fast, he wants to win and he wants to build a hardworking, unselfish and fearless culture.

McMillan exuded fearlessness when he took an NCAA Division I head coaching position after only having high school coaching experience, a jump that not many have made.

“Our teams have never backed away from a challenge. It will be no different at Texas A&M, especially with the strength of the 12th Man behind us!”

Former Stephen F. Austin head coach Kyle Keller and former A&M assistant coach Mitch Cole return to the Aggies as part of McMillan’s staff.

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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 graduated from Texas A&M with a journalism major and a sport management minor. 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 served as a senior sports writer for A&M’s student newspaper, The Battalion.

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