It seems like Texas A&M Basketball is in full-on reconstruction mode, and they’re making waves with their latest addition. They just secured a verbal commitment from Kansas transfer Zach Clemence, announced over on Instagram this past Sunday.
Standing tall at 6-foot-11, Clemence is a power forward looking to make his mark in College Station under the guidance of A&M's new head coach, Bucky McMillan. Clemence isn’t alone in this new journey, as he joins forces with another fresh face – North Alabama guard transfer, Jacari Lane.
Clemence’s tenure at Kansas was a rollercoaster, defined by a series of injuries that limited his court time over four seasons. The numbers paint a tough picture: out of 144 potential appearances, he played only 52 games, averaging a modest 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in around 5.3 minutes of action. He ended up redshirting the entire 2023-24 season, sitting out 34 games due to injuries.
The 2024-25 season didn't cut Clemence any slack either. A groin injury against NC State in December was enough to bench him for the remainder of that campaign, managing only 42 minutes across eight games where he averaged 1.4 points and 1.4 rebounds. Hopefully, with a medical redshirt likely secured for that season, Clemence could still have a couple of collegiate years ahead of him to make a real impact.
Rewind to his Kansas beginnings, and you'll find a young player plagued with setbacks. As a freshman in 2021-22, a foot injury kept him from playing the full slate of games, featuring in 24 out of 40 matches. The following season wasn’t forgiving either, with Clemence missing chunks of the action due to a concussion and a leg injury, appearing in just 20 of 36 games.
His potential, however, is widely recognized. Coming out of high school, Clemence received a solid four-star rating by the 247Sports Composite, ranked as the 12th best power forward and 50th overall in the 2021 class. As he transfers, he holds a three-star rating, slotting in as the 28th power forward and 190th overall player in the highly competitive transfer portal.
For Texas A&M, Clemence's commitment is a key step in overhauling a roster that took a significant hit after last season. The Aggies said goodbye to eight key contributors who finished their collegiate eligibility, including guards Wade Taylor IV, Zhuric Phelps, Manny Obaseki, C.J.
Wilcher, Jace Carter, and Hayden Hefner, along with power forwards Henry Coleman III and Andersson Garcia. Pharrel Payne and Solomon Washington, remaining eligible players, chose to enter the portal, eventually joining their former coach, Buzz Williams, at the University of Maryland.
As if that wasn’t enough, last season’s scholarship players such as guards Andre Mills, Rob Dockery, and George Turkson Jr., plus forwards Rob Dockery and Janusz Ratowski, have also moved on through the transfer portal. A&M is clearly banking on fresh talent like Clemence to reshape the team’s future and set a new course for success.
It’s a whole new chapter for both Clemence and the Aggies, and only time will tell how these moves will pay off as they look to redefine Aggie basketball.
