Texas A&M men's basketball program is a few short weeks away from tipping off the 2026-27 season at Reed Arena, but first, the Aggies took the stage at the SEC Basketball Tipoff '27 in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday afternoon.
After leading his team to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in his first season as head coach, Bucky McMillan brings back an array of talent and new portal additions as he looks to build on last year's success.
McMillan and company added seven transfers, including former Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty, who averaged nearly 24 points per game last season. Jalen Reece (LSU), Tyshawn Archie (McNeese), Lukas Walls (Samford/Radford), and Jordan Pope (Texas) round out the guard position, while Jalen Shelley (Loyola Marymount) and Cade
Phillips (Tennessee) look to make an impact at forward for Bucky Ball.
Meanwhile, returning veterans like Mackenzie Mgbako, Rylan Griffen, Zach Clemence and Jamie Vinson are expected to take their respective steps forward as players and leaders in McMillan's scheme.
Here are quotables from McMillan, Haggerty and Mgbako at the SEC Media Day in Birmingham on Wednesday, as the Aggies prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign:
McMillan discusses the new additions to the roster and how it will help the Aggies this season
"I thought last year's group was able to play how we wanted to play, but we didn't have a lot of slashing and we were the smallest power four team in the country. We have more attackers. The later the season goes, it becomes a players game, and you have to have players who can create advantages, and we have that plus positional size," McMillan said.
McMillan's thoughts on the rising competitiveness of the SEC
"This year this league is about to be the best it's ever been. It will be right below the NBA. Every night will be a battle," McMillan said.
McMillan's favorite memory from the historic run last season
"The Auburn win. My parents went to Alabama so that was a fun one. And in the NCAA Tournament against Saint Mary's that was a great win for us," McMillan said.
McMillan's evaluation of Mgbako and what he brings to the court
"This guy is really going to be a great player in this league if he stays healthy. He's stronger, can shoot it, leading us in rebounds. He's a special player and a special dude. He came to Texas A&M without knowing us, but he saw our plan for him, and he deserves to have a great year," McMillan said.
McMillan provides major praise for his coaching staff and the group's chemistry
"Our staff is awesome. We have awesome staff chemistry. Most of them have been head coaches and I've known them for a long time. TJ Cleveland was a point guard in this league and played our style. Frank Haith was the National Coach of the Year at Missouri. Kyle Keller was one of the best mid major coaches at SFA. I've known Mitch Cole, Dave Good, and Warren Fitzpatrick forever," McMillan said. "We've got a great staff that's aligned and has been in this league."
McMillan on replacing Rashaun Agee's physicality, size and production inside the paint
"Maybe it won't be the same production, but we have to have someone in that position where we know what we're going to get from that. I think we have players who are capable of doing that, but Rashaun's leadership is something we'll have to replace as well," McMillan said.
McMillan's thoughts on using analytics
"Math don't lie. It really helps your players when you can lay it down in front of them," McMillan said.
McMillan explains how it's like coaching in the SEC
"It didn't feel any different than coaching a JV basketball game. It felt the same. That was surprising to me. The passion of the fans when you go into College Station, you just feel the Aggies. Every town has a unique culture to it, and that's why everybody should want to play in the SEC," McMillan said.
McMillan on the Aggies attacking the glass more this season
"It's strange, we played a scrimmage the other day and when the ball came off the glass we didn't have to have the ball fall perfect to us to rebound," McMillan said. "We have more attackers — guys who can get to the free throw line, guys that can get to the charge, guys who can get fouled. The later the season goes, when you're in high level basketball, it becomes a real players game and you got to have players who can create advantages without actions. This year, I think we got a lot more of those and we have more positional size, so it will look very similar, but I think we will be able to attack the basket a lot better this year."
Haggerty discusses what team goals and the ceiling for this year's Aggie squad
"The second weekend in March and then just keep adding on that," Haggerty said.
Haggerty explains why he chose Texas A&M
"During the season last year, I caught a couple of their games. Just seeing how fast they play — they had like nine games in the 100s. I like to score, so just being in a scoring system and being able to know that I have to back it up with defense," Haggerty said.
Mgbako discusses his emotions while missing all of last season
"It was tough for sure. I feel like if I was able to play, I most definitely would've made an impact," Mgbako said. "The team exceeded expectations, given the circumstances, so super proud of them. This year we're trying to build on that. Trying to take it to another level and continue to progress."
Mgbako on what drew him to Texas A&M
"The style of play. I feel like playing fast, shooting a lot of threes, being able to push the ball in transition and show my defensive capabilities is a premium. I was super excited when I got that call from A&M," Mgbako said.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'We have more attackers': Texas A&M basketball takes podium at SEC Media Day
