Cade Phillips didn’t need much convincing once Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan entered the picture.
The 6-foot-9 forward, who spent his entire collegiate career in Knoxville, Tennessee before joining the Aggies, said the connection to McMillan was a major factor in his decision to head to College Station. Phillips said being from the Birmingham area helped Texas A&M stand out early in the process, but the visit and the feel of the program sealed it.
“Being from the Birmingham area instantly drew me here at the beginning of this process because of Bucky,” Phillips said. “Getting to come out here and get to meet everybody and get to see the culture he’s starting here, really the momentum this program is gaining, it was hard to say no.”
That culture was one of the first things Phillips noticed after arriving at Texas A&M. He described a program built around effort, toughness and a style that fits the way he wants to play.
“It’s a culture that plays hard and plays the right way,” Phillips said. “I think in as modern of a style in basketball as we play, it's few and far between what we play. To have a coach to coach as hard as he does, that’s what goes into winning, and that’s what I wanted to be a part of.”
He also said the people around the program made a strong impression right away.
“There’s an incredible culture that surrounds this place,” Phillips stated. “An incredible group of people; I have yet to meet someone that wasn't an awesome person here, and I think it goes to how much this university is loved and the overall character this university values. I think that just bleeds into the surrounding area.”
Phillips has already seen that attitude carry over into the team’s offseason work. He pointed to a group that is eager to learn and willing to push one another.
“We have guys ready to learn,” Phillips said. “Guys ready to push each other every day. Being out there in that fire with them, and keeping their head focused on the goals we have ahead and just winning every day.”
The transfer has also taken notice of the pace McMillan brings to practice. Phillips said the tempo of “Bucky Ball” suits his athleticism and length, even if it requires a different kind of adjustment than the one he was used to before.
“We get up and down a lot in practice, and everything is 90 miles per hour,” Phillips said. “I do think the speed plays a lot in my advantage of athleticism and length.
Being able to get used to making decisions faster, I think that has been the biggest difference from coming from a slower team to a faster team is to make decisions faster and make reads quicker. I think my God-given abilities will take over for the rest.”
Phillips also said his time at Tennessee taught him what it takes to be part of a winning program, and he believes that experience can help him in his new role with the Aggies.
“I’ve been able to be lucky to be a part of a great program at Tennessee and be a part of winning,” Phillips said. “Being able to be a part of that and be able to lead some of those teams, I know that there is a standard that all coaches and great programs hold their players to. Being able to be a part of that leadership, it’s something that I’ve seen done and have done before.”
Now, he’s looking to bring that mindset to a Texas A&M team he says is making his job - and the coaches’ jobs - easier.
“We have an incredible, great group of guys and they make my job, the coach's job, easier,” Phillips shared.
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