Bucky McMillan's Aggies Are Defying Expectations - So Why Isn’t He in the Coach of the Year Conversation?
The Field of 68 released its 2025-26 Coach of the Year power rankings, and while the usual suspects made the cut - Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg, and Miami (Ohio)’s Travis Steele among them - there’s one glaring omission that’s turning heads across the SEC: Bucky McMillan.
Let’s be clear - no one expected Texas A&M to be where they are right now. Picked to finish 13th in the SEC preseason poll, the Aggies weren’t just overlooked, they were practically dismissed.
Fast forward to today, and they’re sitting at the top of the conference standings, ahead of blue-blood programs like Kentucky and Alabama, and even the defending national champion Florida Gators. That’s not just a surprise - that’s a seismic shift.
Yet somehow, McMillan’s name isn’t even in the top 10 of the Coach of the Year rankings. Not even a mention. And that’s raising more than a few eyebrows.
Now, to be fair, the coaches who did make the list have had impressive seasons in their own right. Brad Brownell at Clemson and Mark Byington at Vanderbilt, for example, have done solid work. But when you consider what McMillan inherited and what he’s built in such a short time, it’s hard not to feel like he’s being overlooked.
Remember, McMillan was the last head coach hired from a power conference this cycle. When he took over in College Station, he had just one scholarship player on the roster.
One. That’s not a rebuild - that’s a full-scale construction project.
And yet, here we are, with the Aggies not only competing, but leading the league.
And they’re doing it without arguably their best player. Indiana transfer Mackenzie Mgbako has been sidelined, but the Aggies haven’t missed a beat.
Rashaun Agee has stepped up in a big way, playing with a level of energy and intensity that’s become the heartbeat of this team. Pop Isaacs and Ruben Dominguez have been lethal from beyond the arc, stretching defenses and opening up the floor.
And Rylan Griffen? He’s embraced his role to a tee, doing the little things that don’t always show up in the box score but make all the difference on the court.
This isn’t just a feel-good story - it’s a masterclass in coaching. McMillan has taken a group that was stitched together on the fly and turned them into one of the most cohesive, competitive teams in the SEC.
That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident. It takes vision, leadership, and a whole lot of belief.
Now, does this mean McMillan should win Coach of the Year? That’s a debate for later.
There’s still plenty of basketball left to play. But not even cracking the top 10?
That feels like a miss.
Still, if you know anything about McMillan, you know he’s not losing sleep over rankings. He’s focused on the next game, the next challenge, the next opportunity to prove people wrong. And right now, his team is doing exactly that - every single night.
So while the national spotlight might be slow to catch up, Aggies fans see what’s happening. They see the grit, the growth, and the grind. And they know that no matter how the season ends, Bucky McMillan has already made a statement - loud and clear.