Texas A&M is on the outside looking in the top 25 rankings in both major preseason polls before the Aggies open up the 2026-2027 season against Alabama State on Tuesday, November 3, as second-year coach Bucky McMillan looks to make it back to the NCAA Tournament after clinching a 9-seed in the tourney and defeating Saint Mary's in the first round before falling to Houston in the Round of 32.

On Wednesday, McMillan and his staff received bad news: senior guard Rylan Griffen, who attended his injunction hearing, has been deemed ineligible for now and will await word on whether the decision will be reversed before Texas A&M enters SEC play. Still, having Griffen back on the roster would have been the cherry on top of an already established roster, now including seven transfer portal additions, led by former Kansas State SG PJ Haggerty.

Despite forward Rashaun Agee's heroics last season, Texas A&M's roster lacked NBA-level talent after forward Mackenzie Mgbako was lost for the year after just seven non-conference games, which hindered the Aggies' chances of making a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.

On paper, Mackenzie Mgbako and PJ Haggerty, who averaged nearly 24 points per game last season, are two of the players ESPN writers Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf rank among the Top 100 college basketball players entering the new season. At No. 79, Mgbako's size and "three-level scoring ability" make him a vital piece in McMillan's fast-paced scheme.

"A former top-10 recruit, Mgbako transferred from Indiana after two seasons and looked poised for a massive year at Texas A&M. But he missed the start of the 2025-26 campaign after undergoing foot surgery and, after returning for seven games, refractured his right foot -- and his season was over. At his best, Mgbako is a difficult matchup for opponents due to his 6-9 size and three-level scoring ability." -- Jeff Borzello

Earning immense national respect, PJ Haggerty is one of, if not the best, slashing guards in the country, consistently getting to the foul line and draining his free throws, which comes in handy in tight games.

"Haggerty's move from Memphis to Kansas State last season didn't result in the performance many had expected from the AP All-American second-teamer. He simply couldn't lift the Wildcats, who fired former head coach Jerome Tang midseason. Even so, the 6-4 guard (23.4 PPG) remained one of America's top scorers, finishing top-five in that category nationally for a second year in a row." -- Myron Medcalf

Kansas State was not a good team, even though Haggerty was a must-watch playmaker every Saturday and tried his best to lift the Wildcats in Big 12 play. Yes, Texas A&M spent a hefty amount of money to bring Haggerty into the program, as Bucky McMillan finally has his star guard, who fits perfectly alongside Texas transfer point guard Jordan Pope.