SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 21: Head coach Bucky McMillan of the Samford Bulldogs reacts during … More
Texas A&M has found its new coach.
The SEC school named Samford coach Bucky McMillan as the new man who replaces Buzz Williams, who left to take the Maryland job.
McMillan, 41, went 99-52 in five seasons at Samford while playing an innovative offensive style known as “Bucky Ball.”
McMillan will be officially introduced at a press conference Monday at 3 p.m.
“We’re incredibly excited about Bucky coming to Aggieland to lead our men’s basketball program,” AD Trev Alberts said. “He’s an innovator as a coach, and he has a smart and analytics-driven approach to the game. Bucky brings a unique combination of qualities to our program and we’re thrilled to begin the next chapter of our basketball history under his leadership.”
McMillan’s Bulldogs won three SoCon Championships – two regular season crowns and a tournament title – while compiling a 99-52 record, which includes 20-plus victories in each of the past four seasons. He earned SoCon Coach of the Year honors in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
“I couldn’t be more excited to wake up to the reality of being the head basketball coach at Texas A&M,” McMillan said. “As a guy that grew up around the SEC, I am motivated by the vision of Texas A&M’s leadership to compete at the highest levels of college basketball. As I’ve done my entire career, I won’t rest until we get the Aggies playing at a championship level year-in and year-out.
“I have heard nothing but positive things about the people of Bryan-College Station, Texas A&M University and the strength of the athletics department under the leadership of Trev Alberts. People ask what kind of style do you play? And I oftentimes say ‘it’s real simple, we play the kind of style that WINS, we just want to do it FASTER!’
“At our core, we want players and coaches who are HARDWORKING, UNSELFISH, and as a result, FEARLESS. Our teams have never backed away from a challenge. It will be no different at Texas A&M, especially with the strength of the 12th Man behind us!”
The 41-year-old McMillan’s fast-paced, attacking style of play made Samford one of the most exciting and entertaining teams in college basketball. In 2024-25, the Bulldogs ranked No. 13 nationally in scoring offense (82.9 points per game) while ranking in the top 10 in 3-pointers attempted and made. Defensively, Samford forced an average of 16.1 turnovers per game, which ranked No. 4 in the country.
Within the SoCon, Samford led the league in scoring, fast break points (14.2/G), steals (9.9/G), turnovers forced, turnover margin (3.2/G), offensive rebounds (13.1/G) and bench scoring (28.5 points/G) as the Bulldogs earned an invitation to the 2025 NIT.
McMillan orchestrated the best season in Samford program history in 2023-24 when the Bulldogs earned their first NCAA Tournament berth in more than 20 years. Samford compiled a school-record 29 wins and swept the SoCon regular season and tournament titles for the first time. In the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs narrowly lost to Kansas, 93-89, in one of the most memorable games of the tournament. The 2023-24 season included a school record 17-game winning streak, and the team was a perfect 18-0 on its home court.
McMillan’s path to the collegiate level came after experiencing unprecedented success at the high school level in the state of Alabama. As the head coach of Mountain Brook High School, located just outside of Birmingham, McMillan led the Spartans to five state championships in Alabama’s highest classification and advanced to the championship game seven times in his 12 seasons at his alma mater. Named the National Coach of the Year in 2018 by the National High School Coaches Association, McMillan won 333 games at Mountain Brook while averaging nearly 28 wins per season.
McMillan played his college basketball at Birmingham-Southern from 2002 to 2006, where he was named to the Big South Conference Academic Honor Roll all four seasons, and to the league’s All-Academic team as a senior. He also earned the distinction of being named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor’s Court. McMillan earned his bachelor’s degree in education services from Birmingham-Southern in 2007.
While a student at Mountain Brook High School from 1999 to 2002, McMillan received All-State honors from the Birmingham News in 2002 and was nominated for the McDonald’s High School All-America team. The Birmingham News also named him to its All-State Athletic Academic team.
