Keeping the band together
Much of the Texas A&M basketball team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament will return for another run in 2024-25, coach Buzz Williams confirmed Wednesday.
Breaking his self-imposed limitation on social media posts, Williams posted a picture on X (formerly Twitter) announcing that the team's core of upperclassmen -- with the exception of guard Boots Radford -- would be back next season. The 45-day transfer portal opening ended May 1, but graduate students can enter at any time.
The centerpiece of the group remains All-SEC point guard Wade Taylor IV, who had announced his return previously. Taylor averaged a team-high 19.1 points per game last season.
Three-quarters of A&M's top big men will also return. Graduate Henry Coleman III (8.8 PPG), Solomon Washington (7.4 PPG) and Andersson Garcia (6 PPG, SEC-leading 9.2 rebounds per game) will be back, while center Wildens Leveque graduated.
Three of A&M's primary wings will also be back. Manny Obaseki (7 PPG), who exploded down the stretch into one of the SEC's most dynamic scorers, will be joined by Jace Cater (6.9 PPG) and Hayden Hefner (5 PPG).
Freshman Rob Dockery, who redshirted, and walk-on Jaylin Lee will also return.
Comings and goings
The Aggies lost three freshmen to the portal: PG Bryce Lindsey (committed to James Madison), F Tyler Ringgold (committed to Tulane) and C Brandon White all decided to move on. So did F Julius Marble, who was suspended for the entire season and was arrested on sexual assault charges on April 18.
A&M is adding two freshmen, both from Massachusetts: forward George Turkson and point guard Andre Mills. The Aggies have also added three players through the transfer portal: C Pharrel Payne (Minnesota), Zhuric Phelps (SMU) and C.J. Wilcher (Nebraska).
The addition of the two freshmen and three transfers would normally mean the Aggies are at the 13-scholarship limit, but Coleman, Hefner and Garcia are all returning to play their Covid year, which does not count against the limit. That means the Aggies could add three more players to the roster via the transfer portal.
The Aggies are likely to begin the season ranked in the top 25 once again, with ESPN ranking A&M as high as 11th at this point in the offseason.