Like Buc-ee's: Bucky McMillan aims to build a program of excellence

Click HERE to view Texas A&M’s Monday introductory event and press conference.

In expressing his vision for Texas A&M basketball, new coach Bucky McMillan did not reference copying a blue blood program like Kentucky, Duke or North Carolina.

Instead, he referenced a gas station. My bad. He referenced the gas station.

“When I was in Alabama, if you said the name ‘Bucky,’ most of the time people knew who you were talking about, and then this gas station rolls up,” McMillan told a Reed Arena crowd of about 500 at his Texas A&M introduction on Monday. “And now when you say Bucky, they say, ‘Like the gas station?’ I take that as a compliment because I’ve been in those service stations, and it’s excellence.

“So, what I can tell you is we’re going to make this program so excellent out here that when you go to pull over, and they say ‘Hey, there’s a Buc-ee’s. Let’s pull over,’ they’re gonna say, ‘Oh, like the basketball coach.’”

Making a statement like that requires… well, nuggets. Big nuggets.

McMillan must have them. Such would also be required to take over Texas A&M’s program. He inherits just one scholarship player — freshman forward Chris McDermott — and a fan base that typically alternates between impatient and apathetic.

But maybe — just maybe — this country-twanged 41-year-old Alabama native, who estimates he’s never previously left Birmingham for more than a month, can take A&M basketball to places it has never been.

He’s done amazing construction projects before. You probably know the story. He was an ultra-successful high school coach who was hired in 2020 to take over the moribund program at Samford.

His first team finished 6-13 in a COVID-shortened season. The next year, the Bulldogs posted 21 victories. They won Southern Conference championships the next three seasons.

In 2024, they made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years. They damn near defeated Kansas in the first round before falling 93-89, largely because of a phantom foul called in the final minute.

Samford excelled with a turbo-charged full-court style of play dubbed “Bucky Ball.”

Some of the crowd at Reed Arena chanted “Bucky Ball” when McMillan was at the podium. Enthusiasm and optimism ran high. Director of Athletics Trev Alberts heaped praises on McMillan. So did A&M President Mark A. Welsh III. Promises of glory were made.

We’ve been here before… Six years before, actually. That’s when McMillan’s predecessor was announced. Greatness was predicted. Pretty good was delivered.

But this felt different. Maybe the results will be.

McMillan came across as genuine and sincere. He talked to the fans, not down to them. He said he looked forward to getting out and meeting those who support A&M basketball. His predecessor avoided them.

Callie Garner, TexAgs

Bucky McMillan arrived in College Station on Monday morning after spending five years at Samford, where he put together a 99-52 overall record.

McMillan promised high-scoring teams that could shoot from the 3-point arc and the free-throw line. What a welcome change that would be.

He vowed A&M basketball would be fun to watch. He said A&M teams would be hard-working, unselfish and fearless.

“When they walk out on the floor out here, and they walk between those lines and they know they’ve outworked their competition, they’re more together than their competition, that’s when magic happens because they earn the right to play fearlessly,” McMillan said. “And that’s the pillars of our program. It’s hardworking, unselfish and fearless, and you’ll be able to feel it. You’ll be able to feel it the way that we play.”

However, it’ll likely take a while to get there. Again, there’s only one scholarship player on the roster.

As many as four Samford players may transfer to A&M, but McMillan acknowledged there’s a vast difference between the athletes in the SEC and the SoCon.

Give him time. Give him a chance. Have an open mind.

In a couple of years, McMillan just might build a program that can attain and sustain the excellence of Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina.

And, of course, Buc-ee’s.