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USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texas A&M HC Bucky McMillan said during his first Coach's Night appearance
Everything Texas A&M HC Bucky McMillan said during his first Coach's Night appearance Heading into his first season at the helm for the Texas A&M men's basketball program, head coach Bucky McMillan previewed the season ahead in his first appearance at the Dallas A&M Club for Coach's Night on Wednesday. McMillan was hired as the Aggies' new head coach on April 4 on a five-year deal worth $16 million. Before he arrived in Bryan-College Station, Texas, he led the Samford Bulldogs to the school's first NCAA Tournament since 2000, while also racking up three Southern Conference Coach of the Year awards during his tenure. The opportunity to coach at the highest level against the best competition is something that every coach clamors for, and that is exactly what McMillan will be granted when he steps on the court for the first Southeastern Conference matchup in January. Here is everything McMillan had to say when discussing the upcoming season and his experiences so far in Aggieland. How has it been having the opportunity to visit with the Dallas Aggies Club and the Texas A&M community across the state of Texas? "It's great. You can feel the passion from all of these fans and it's great, the people in College Station and now here in Dallas, and all across all the Aggies have such passion," McMillan said. How is McMillan's relationship with Texas A&M's head football coach Mike Elko? "(Mike Elko) has been great, showing me the ropes since I've been here. I'm a football fan. I'm a big, big football fan, so I appreciate you, Coach," McMillan said. What is the importance of adding Spanish guard Rubén Domínguez and what does he bring to the table? "What he brings is three-point shooting from the time he steps on the floor," McMillan said. "He can shoot it from half-court, he's one of the best shooters in the world. What's going on with international game right now, with the way college basketball is with NIL (name, image and likeness) opportunties, is that a lot of the players that would have played professionally overseas are now coming acorss the pond. We want the good ones who can make threes to come to Texas A&M. He's one of those guys." How plug-and-play ready is Domínguez going from playing overseas to the SEC? "He's played against elite competition, professional basketball. He knows how to play, (which) I think is just as important as his skill set," McMillan said. "When you get to this level, a lot of it is your mental ability to process things quickly. If you played professionally, you're able to process faster. That's what he brings. He'll probably have an adjustment to make with the physicallity and the defense that's in the SEC, but I like what he's about and I like his skill set." How have summer workouts progressed for the Aggies? "We just want to get better. We got a lot of guys out. We got three that won't be here until later in the summer, so we don't have 10 yet. We're not playing a lot of five-on-five," McMillan said. "We're just trying to get the players acclamated to our pace of play and the skill set it takes to play at that pace and the volume of three-point shooting is obviously something we've been working on to make sure our guys understand how we like to space the floor and the skillset neccessary to be able to do that. How does the House settlement impact college hoops? "Across college basketball and football, this may be the highest group of athletes in terms of their financial compensation that will ever happen," McMillan said. "The House settlement hasn't come into play yet, NIL opportunties (and) collective opportunties. I think it may come down to earth a little bit next year, but it'll be across the SEC with that $2.73 (million)." How much more comfortable are you now, compared to when you first got hired? "It's a lot more relaxing becuase you actually get to work with players. If you can't work, it's hard to have confidence in the group you have. Now, we're finally getting players there so we can work and build the confidence within the team we're going to need to have to play in the best college basketball league in the country," McMillan said. What does it mean to be able to visit with Aggie fans and see the support from the Maroon and White faithful? "This is incredible. This is the value of athletics, when you think about it. There are not a lot of opportunties and things in life that can tie this many people together," McMillan said. "It's phenomenal because we have something that links us together. We're all Aggies here, and we get to support each other." What are the goals heading into the 2025-2026 campaign? "I expect to win every game that we're going to play. That's the pressure we put on ourselves," McMillan said. What does the future of the program look like moving forward? "There is no reason that A&M can't compete at the highest of the high level with all of the resources that the Aggies have provided," McMillan said. How will this team handle potential obstacles and challenges ahead during this year's campaign? "We want adversity. We want that. When there is true adversity and things aren't going exactly how we want it to go, that's an opportunity for all these Aggies to come together and do something incredible," McMillan said. How did it feel coming to Texas A&M and what's the experience in College Station been like so far? "Trev Alberts, who is not here tonight, I have to thank him for this great opportunity to be your basketball coach," McMillan said. "Everything has been great since we've been here. I have loved College Station. It has been phenomenal. I certainly feel the passion for the fans." What can fans expect from "Bucky Ball"? "My job is to bring you a product and a program that you all can be so proud of because they play so hard, so unselfish and have such a swagger when they step on that floor," McMillan said. "We want to play a style of basketball that's successful and that you enjoy watching. We want to bring both to you: We want to bring a winning culture that you all deserve, and we want to have an entertaining style that you can all enjoy." What kind of aspects will this program be built on moving forward? "Our basketball program is pretty much built on this: We've got to get great personnel. We've got to get great recruits. We've got to get great coaches, and we've got to get great supporters. No one is going to outdo the support of the Aggies. That much I know." What is the focus of this team and what are the expectations heading into this year? "We try to narrow the focus to a driver, a pitching wedge and a putter. That's our plan. We're going to keep it simple analytically, and hopefully, we can be one of the highest scoring teams in the country this year," McMillan said. "We take free-throws, layups and threes, and we get really good at it." How has the recruiting process been at Texas A&M this offseason? "There are not too many places that you could be, that at that time of year, that you could have that kind of support," McMillan said. "We brought 12 players on recruiting visits, and all 12 committed. That says a lot about Texas A&M." What is the vision for the program's future? "I do think that this place is destined to compete for championships. I want to do that here. We will compete for championships when we don't focus so much on what we're going to do and instead focus on how we're going to do it," McMillan said. "I'm looking forward to building something truly special here with everyone here." Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Aggie fans react to Texas A&M hiring SoCon Coach of the Year Bucky McMillan
Aggie fans react to Texas A&M hiring SoCon Coach of the Year Bucky McMillan This story was updated to correct misspellings. On Friday night, news broke that Texas A&M will hire Samford Bulldogs men's basketball coach Bucky McMillan as its 23rd coach in program history. Texas A&M basketball fans can look forward to an exciting new era with McMillan as coach. Known for his dynamic "Bucky Ball" style, McMillan's aggressive offense focuses heavily on 3-point shooting and pressing defense. That will be a significant shift from the slower-paced strategy under Buzz Williams. This fast-paced approach is expected to energize the program, attract fans and fill seats in Reed Arena. After top candidate Chris Beard decided to stay at Ole Miss, Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts reviewed his options and settled on McMillan, a multiple-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year. Despite mixed initial reactions, the hire is being praised for its potential to transform the Aggies' basketball identity. McMillan faces immediate challenges, including hiring a coaching staff and navigating the transfer portal as the entry window closes on April 22. However, his proven track record and offensive creativity offer hope for success. With Texas A&M's enhanced resources and McMillan's leadership, the Aggies aim to rebuild their roster and compete at a higher level in the SEC. Fans can expect a fast-pace brand of basketball that will redefine Texas A&M's program. Below are some of the best reactions from Aggie fans and the media after the announcement. Strong Mid-Major coach is the next coach of Texas A&M Get ready for a high paced offense High risk high reward higher Coach Bucky McMillian has been successful at every stop Even D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers took time away college baseball to comment on the hire Sounds like a great NIL or sponsorship opportunity Some fans are happy with the hire Some fans are not happy with the hire Samford took Kansas to the wire in the NCAA tournament Bill Self praises McMillian after the game McMillian is a winner and will put pressure on defenses The style of play should make for more exciting games at Reed Arena Give Bucky what he needs and watch him flourish Possible staffing hire with Texas A&M ties Welcome Coach Bucky McMillian to Aggieland! Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
New York Times
05-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Texas A&M to hire Samford's Bucky McMillan as men's basketball coach: Source
Texas A&M is finalizing a five-year deal with Samford's Bucky McMillan to coach the Aggies men's basketball program, a source briefed on the negotiations said Friday. ESPN first reported the news. McMillan, 41, spent the last five seasons with the Bulldogs, guiding the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2023-24 season and a 99-52 record. A three-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year from 2022 to 2024, McMillan has led Samford to winning seasons over his last four campaigns, with at least 20 victories in each of those years. Advertisement He's now set to replace Buzz Williams at Texas A&M after Williams left for the job at Maryland earlier this week. The Aggies have made the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons, losing in the second round the past two years and in the first round before then. They went 23-11 under Williams most recently and 11-7 in the SEC, one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘It's gonna be a reckoning for the ACC': New NC State coach Will Wade says the ‘Pack is Back'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) — New NC State head coach Will Wade held his opening press conference as the new leader of the pack on Tuesday, speaking to Wolfpack fans for the first time. Wade did not mince words in his opening presser and made it clear that he is coming to Raleigh to make his mark. 'It's going to be a reckoning for the ACC. It's going to be a reckoning for college basketball, and it's coming, and it's coming soon,' Wade said about the future of the NC State program. Which players for UNC and NC State have entered the transfer portal? Wade further elaborated on the speed in which he anticipates finding success in the ACC stating that he expects immediate results. 'I want to be very clear. This is not a rebuild,' Wade said. 'We're going to be in the top part of the ACC next year, and we're going to the NCAA tournament.' Wade also made clear his intent to restore pride to a Wolfpack fanbase that is often marginalized in comparison to its Tobacco Road neighbors, UNC Chapel Hill and Duke. 'We want to be a source of pride for everybody. When you walk in the office on Wednesday night after we play, we want you to puff your chest out,' Wade said. 'Let them know, 'yes, we're NC State, and we whipped you last night. You got more of them coming'.' Later, during the presser, a reporter asked Wade a question about his thoughts on NC State's Tobacco Road rivals, and he referred to UNC and Duke as 'some bully neighbors' and said his goal is for the two blue bloods to 'turn around and be chasing us.' Wade also called for NC State fans to sell out the Lenovo Center for his first game as head coach. 'We need to send a message. We need to let the state, the ACC, and the nation know that the pack is back, and we are not to be messed with,' Wade said to Wolfpack fans. To close his opening marks, Wade also touched on a subject that has been a major complaint for NC State fans in recent years — consistency. Wade says that he is going 'to build a consistent winner that's consistently at the top of the ACC, consistently in the NCAA tournament, and consistently competing for the national championship here at NC State.' That statement on consistency rang true for Wolfpack fans who have seen the program make two runs to the Sweet 16 and one run to the Final Four in the same 14-year time period that the program has failed to post consecutive winning records in ACC play. Wade has experienced massive success in all four of his stops as a head coach thus far in his career, despite being only 42 years old. Wade cut his teeth as an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and was on staff for VCU's memorable Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2011. His first career stop was at the University of Tennesse at Chattanooga, where he was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2014 for leading the Mocs to 8-0 start in conference play his first year on the job. Chattanooga nearly won the SoCon in 2015, and afterward, Wade returned to VCU, this time as the head coach. Wade spent the next 2 seasons at VCU, making the NCAA Tournament in both years and winning a tournament game in 2016 before taking a head coaching position at Lousiana State University. Wade inherited a 10-win LSU team and led them to a winning record and NIT appearance in his first season in 2018. His team took a leap in his second year in 2019, with a 25-5 start that saw the Tigers sitting in first place in the SEC standings. LSU's promising 2019 came to a screeching halt when Wade was suspended for the 2019 NCAA Tournament and the Tigers went on to lose in the Sweet 16 with an interim coach. That suspension, along with multiple allegations of misconduct within the program derailed most of the momentum Wade had built in Baton Rouge those first two seasons. The 2019 suspension was based on an FBI wiretap that allegedly captured Wade referring to a 'stong a** offer' for a recruit, which was not allowed under NCAA rules at the time. 'arranged for, offered and/or provided impermissible payments, including cash payments, to at least 11 men's basketball prospective student-athletes, their family members, individuals associated with the prospects and/or nonscholastic coaches in exchange for the prospects' enrollment at LSU.' While Wade would go on to be reinstated following the 2019 season, LSU would never reach the heights of that 2019 season again before Wade was ultimately fired in 2022. According to ESPN, Wade agreed to a new contract that granted LSU the ability to fire him with cause if he committed any Level I or Level II NCAA rules violations when he was reinstated in 2019. One of the allegations against Wade listed by ESPN alleges that he gave 'impermissible cash payments to the former fiancée of a student-athlete in order to buy her silence regarding prior and current impermissible inducements to student-athletes or prospective student-athletes.' ESPN reports that the NCAA also accused Wade of violations of ethical conduct principles and failing to cooperate with investigators, 'as well as a number of other allegations the [Complex Case Unit] was ultimately unable to substantiate fully, when he refused to produce all records the CCU requested from him.' Wade would be hired again as a head coach at McNeese State in March 2023, however, he was given a 10-game suspension and a two-year show-cause penalty for the alleged violations at LSU. Wade took over a McNeese team that had only won 11 games in each of its previous two seasons when he arrived. The team had an 8-2 record once he finished serving his 10-game suspension and Wade took over and did what he has done and all of his coaching stops — win. The Cowboys went 22-1 in their next 23 games, winning the Southland Conference and making the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002. While McNeese lost to Gonzaga in the first round as an underdog, Wade and the Cowboys found redemption on Thursday as they upset No. 5 seed Clemson in the First Round. The win was the first NCAA Tournament win in program history and coincided with a second consecutive Southland Conference championship. McNeese then lost in the Round of 32 to Purdue. NC State fans are hopeful that Wade will bring his winning ways to Raleigh and return the Wolfpack to the ranks of its Tobacco Road rivals in the ACC. Less than a calendar year after leading the North Carolina State University men's basketball team on a historic Cinderella run to the Final Four, . How did NC State find itself looking for a new leader behind the bench just 12 months removed from its improbable run to the sport's greatest heights? To understand how Keatts has lost his job just one year after an improbable run to the Final Four, it must be understood how improbable last year's run was. After ending their 2023-24 regular season on a four-game losing streak, which included two losses in three days to UNC and Duke, all hope was seemingly lost. NC State finished the season with a 17-14 overall record and went 9-11 against ACC opponents, good for a 10th-place finish in the conference. At the end of the season, of NC State head coach Kevin Keatts. Had the Wolfpack lost in the early rounds of the ACC Tournament, Keatts may very well have been fired. However, what happened next will be the stuff of March legend for the rest of time. NC State became just the second team in the history of college basketball to win five games in five days completing a Cinderella run to winning the ACC Tournament Championship Game complete with wins over Tobacco Road rivals UNC and Duke. By winning the ACC Tournament, the Wolfpack earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that they otherwise did not not have the resume to qualify for. NC State carried the magic into the tournament winning their first four games of the Big Dance including a second win over Duke in the Elite Eight to qualify for the program's first Final Four since 1983. After falling to Purdue, in the Final Four and the fog of the historic run settled, NC State found itself back in the same precarious position the program was in prior to the Cinderella run. A program that had posted only two winning seasons in the ACC since Kevin Keatts became head coach in 2017 and had just advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since his hiring was facing a mass exodus of talent. NC State was forced to replace five of its top six leading scorers for a team that still failed to post a winning record in ACC play in the regular season despite its amazing postseason run. The results for the Wolfpack were dreadful as they limped to a 12-19 record overall and went 5-15 in ACC play. The record in ACC play was particularly concerning as the league is considered to be in a down year. The 12-19 record was the second-worst mark of the Keatts era in Raleigh and the second time NC State had a 12-or-fewer-win season in the last 4 years. NCSU started the season with a 9-6 record before losing 13 of their last 16 games. The Wolfpack's struggles also carried over to the recruiting trail as they only had 2 commitments for their 2025 class at the time of Keatts' firing, which ranked ninth out of 18 ACC schools and 47th in the nation, . The 2023-24 season will always be among the fondest memories for NC State fans. Particularly those who were not around to see the 1974 and 1983 national champion teams. However, in his 8 years at the helm in Raleigh, Keatts failed to get the Wolfpack to ever perform consistently on the same level as its Tobacco Road counterparts as a program. There were high moments; Keatts inherited a below-.500 team in his first season in 2017 and took NC State to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. That team also finished tied for third place in the ACC standings. Unfortunately, the program mostly stagnated or regressed beyond that as the Wolfpack finished all eight seasons under Keatts with a minimum of 11 losses and never finished any higher than sixth in the ACC standings after that first year. Keatts' teams also failed to win any games in the NCAA Tournament with the exception of the 2024 Cinderella run and even that team would not have even made it to the tournament without an unprecedented and likely unrepeatable ACC Tournament run. With Keatts' near-decade at the helm in Raleigh now at its end, NC State now hopes that Wade is the coach that can bring the school back to the level of its Tobacco Road counterparts, the same as Norm Sloan and Jim Valvano did in the 1970s and 1980s. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: NC State introduces Will Wade as head men's basketball coach
RALEIGH, N.C (WGHP) — NC State introduced Will Wade as its 21st head coach in program history on Tuesday afternoon. The full press conference can be watched in the player above. Wade has experienced massive success in all four of his stops as a head coach thus far in his career, despite being only 42 years old. Wade cut his teeth as an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and was on staff for VCU's memorable Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2011. His first career stop was at the University of Tennesse at Chattanooga, where he was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2014 for leading the Mocs to 8-0 start in conference play his first year on the job. Chattanooga nearly won the SoCon in 2015 and afterward, Wade returned to VCU, this time as the head coach. Wade spent the next 2 seasons at VCU, making the NCAA Tournament in both years and winning a tournament game in 2016 before taking a head coaching position at Lousiana State University. Wade inherited a 10-win LSU team and led them to a winning record and NIT appearance in his first season in 2018. His team took a leap in his second year in 2019, with a 25-5 start that saw the Tigers sitting in first place in the SEC standings. LSU's promising 2019 came to a screeching halt when Wade was suspended for the 2019 NCAA Tournament and the Tigers went on to lose in the Sweet 16 with an interim coach. That suspension, along with multiple allegations of misconduct within the program derailed most of the momentum Wade had built in Baton Rouge those first two seasons. The 2019 suspension was based on an FBI wiretap that allegedly captured Wade referring to a 'stong a** offer' for a recruit, which was not allowed under NCAA rules at the time. 'arranged for, offered and/or provided impermissible payments, including cash payments, to at least 11 men's basketball prospective student-athletes, their family members, individuals associated with the prospects and/or nonscholastic coaches in exchange for the prospects' enrollment at LSU.' While Wade would go on to be reinstated following the 2019 season, LSU would never reach the heights of that 2019 season again before Wade was ultimately fired in 2022. According to ESPN, Wade agreed to a new contract that granted LSU the ability to fire him with cause if he committed any Level I or Level II NCAA rules violations when he was reinstated in 2019. One of the allegations against Wade listed by ESPN alleges that he gave 'impermissible cash payments to the former fiancée of a student-athlete in order to buy her silence regarding prior and current impermissible inducements to student-athletes or prospective student-athletes.' ESPN reports that the NCAA also accused Wade of violations of ethical conduct principles and failing to cooperate with investigators, 'as well as a number of other allegations the [Complex Case Unit] was ultimately unable to substantiate fully, when he refused to produce all records the CCU requested from him.' Wade would be hired again as a head coach at McNeese State in March 2023, however, he was given a 10-game suspension and a two-year show-cause penalty for the alleged violations at LSU. Wade took over a McNeese team that had only won 11 games in each of its previous two seasons when he arrived. The team had an 8-2 record once he finished serving his 10-game suspension and Wade took over and did what he has done and all of his coaching stops — win. The Cowboys went 22-1 in their next 23 games, winning the Southland Conference and making the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002. While McNeese lost to Gonzaga in the first round as an underdog. Wade and the Cowboys found redemption on Thursday as they upset No. 5 seed Clemson in the First Round. The win was the first NCAA Tournament win in program history and coincided with a second consecutive Southland Conference championship. NC State fans are hopeful that Wade will bring his winning ways to Raleigh and return the Wolfpack to the ranks of its Tobacco Road rivals in the ACC. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
