Texas A&M opened practice for the 2026-2027 season this week, and Bucky McMillan used his first media session of the fall to sketch out a roster that looks different, deeper and a lot bigger than the one he had a year ago.
The second-year coach pointed to a busy offseason that brought in seven transfer additions, while also bringing back forwards Zach Clemence and Jamie Vinson. The headliner, though, is Mackenzie Mgbako, the former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American who missed all but seven games in non-conference play after arriving from Indiana.
Now fully healthy, Mgbako has also added muscle to his frame, and McMillan made it clear how central the senior forward is to what Texas A&M wants to do. If he stays on the floor, he’s expected to slot in as the No. 2 scoring option behind PJ Haggerty, who averaged nearly 24 points per game with Kansas State last season.
“He’s been awesome. He’s improved a lot.
He deserves to have a good season. He’s stronger.
He’s the hardest worker and it’s paying off. His weaknesses are getting smaller.
Knock on wood, he stays healthy, he’s going to have a really good season.”
That praise fits with the broader picture around the Aggies’ frontcourt. Last season, 6'7" Rashaun Agee was the most dependable big man on the roster, a sign of the size shortage McMillan wanted to address. This offseason, Texas A&M added more length and options with blue-chip freshman Josh Irving, who stands 6'11", along with Jamie Vinson and transfer Jalen Shelley, who is 6'9".
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, who visited Texas A&M this week, also said on X that Mgbako looks like an "All-SEC player" and has "completely changed his body" ahead of the Aggies’ opener on Nov. 2. McMillan’s comments matched that sentiment: the staff believes Mgbako’s health, strength and work ethic could make him one of the defining pieces of the season.
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Marcel Reeds development has become part of the conversation after his uneven start compared with where he was a year ago, and that puts even more pressure on the next stretch of the schedule. Arkansas is up next, and despite being a 14-point favorite, Texas A&M needs the kind of response that restores confidence before the standings become the least of its concerns. [Read more 🡒]