Texas A&M Targeting Transfer Portal Guard AJ Bates

Louisiana Tech's AJ Bates is considering joining the Aggies' uptempo system under coach Bucky McMillan.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 2:25pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the overlapping movements and perspectives of a college basketball game, with the vibrant colors of the Texas A&M Aggies and Louisiana Tech Bulldogs uniforms.A cubist interpretation of the recruiting battle for Louisiana Tech transfer AJ Bates, as Texas A&M looks to add his playmaking skills to their fast-paced system.Today in Birmingham

Texas A&M is in contact with Louisiana Tech transfer AJ Bates, a 6-foot-3 point guard who averaged 12.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists last season. The Aggies are looking to add Bates to their roster as they value his playmaking ability, perimeter shooting, and defensive tenacity - all of which would fit well in their fast-paced system under head coach Bucky McMillan.

Why it matters

The Aggies lost some key players to the transfer portal, so adding a talented guard like Bates could help fill that void. His skill set as a pass-first point guard who can also score and defend would be a valuable addition to the team's roster and playing style.

The details

Bates, a Houston native, has heard from several schools since entering the transfer portal, including UCLA, Ohio, Richmond, Temple, Texas State, and UTEP. The Aggies are hoping to convince him that their up-tempo system and talented frontcourt players like Mackenzie Mgbako and Zach Clemence would be an ideal fit for his game. Bates improved his shooting and scoring in his sophomore season at Louisiana Tech, and the Aggies believe he could thrive in their fast-paced offense that emphasizes ball movement and limiting turnovers.

  • Bates entered the transfer portal in April 2026.

The players

AJ Bates

A 6-foot-3 point guard who averaged 12.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists last season at Louisiana Tech.

Bucky McMillan

The head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies, known for his up-tempo system that values ball movement and limiting turnovers.

Mackenzie Mgbako

A talented forward on the Texas A&M roster who could complement Bates' playmaking abilities.

Zach Clemence

Another forward on the Texas A&M roster who could benefit from Bates' passing and court vision.

PJ Haggerty

A Texas A&M player who has proven to be a team player and brought out the best in his teammates.

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What’s next

The Aggies will continue to recruit Bates and try to convince him that their program is the best fit for his skills and playing style.

The takeaway

Adding a talented, pass-first point guard like AJ Bates could be a key offseason move for the Texas A&M Aggies as they look to replace some key departures and maintain their up-tempo, ball-movement focused system under coach Bucky McMillan.