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Who is New Texas A&M Coach Bucky McMillan?

The Aggies have officially found their guy to replace coach Buzz Williams.
DJ Burton|
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
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

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Texas A&M Aggies

The Texas A&M Aggies have found their new basketball coach.

After a frantic coaching search that reportedly included names like Ole Miss’ Chris Beard and Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland, the Aggies picked Samford coach Bucky McMillan to be their new leader.

McMillan’s career arc definitely sets him apart. At age 25, he became a high school varsity basketball coach at Mountain Brook High School, his alma mater.

In 12 seasons under McMillan, Mountain Brook won five state titles in Alabama’s 6A division. By the time he left the high school level, he solidified himself as a legend with a 333-74 career record.

The Birmingham, Alabama native went straight from the high school level to NCAA Division I when he accepted the head coach position at Samford. With the Bulldogs, McMillan won two regular season conference championships and had posted four straight 20-win seasons. He led Samford to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000 in 2024. He will be joining the Aggies with a 99-52 collegiate coaching record.

Last season, McMillan’s squad ranked fourth in turnovers forced, seventh in 3-pointers made, 11th in 3-point attempts and 27th in assists. McMillian’s style of play, deemed “Bucky Ball,” places a huge emphasis on tempo. McMillan-led teams play annoyingly tough, full-court press defense while prioritizing quick, smart shots with lots of ball movement.

In his short career, McMillan has accumulated multiple awards. In 2018, he was named NHSCA Coach of the Year and has been named SoCon Coach of the Year three times.

McMillan joins the Aggies with a completely blank slate. With eight seniors departing and the rest of the team in the transfer portal, McMillan is free to build whatever roster he feels is best suited for “Bucky Ball.” With the portal closing on April 22, he will need to work fast.

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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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