Jacari Lane exits College Station after leading the Aggies in assists and starting 28 games, leaving a revamped backcourt to fill the void for Bucky McMillan.
Jacari Lane was the first transfer Bucky McMillan convinced to follow him to Texas A&M ... but he won't be around for Year 2.
Lane plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season in College Station, according to On3, following a Colorado court injunction that granted Class of 2022 athletes another season of eligibility.
It's a late departure from a player whose role during McMillan's first season was considerably larger than his scoring average might suggest.
Lane arrived at A&M last offseason following three seasons at North Alabama, where the Huntsville native developed from the ASUN Freshman of the Year into a first-team all-conference selection who averaged 17.3 points during his final season with the Lions.
That scoring production didn't completely follow him into the SEC.
But Lane found other ways to contribute.
The 6-0 guard appeared in all 33 games for Texas A&M and started 28, averaging 6.1 points and a team-leading 3.0 assists. He also posted a 2.9 assist-to-turnover ratio while helping operate McMillan's up-tempo offense.
And when A&M needed more scoring, Lane occasionally provided that, too.
His best performance came during an 87-82 double-overtime loss at No. 24 Tennessee in January. Lane scored a season-high 20 points and added nine assists, nearly producing a double-double while the Aggies pushed the Volunteers through 50 minutes of basketball.
His departure still doesn't leave McMillan scrambling for another point guard in August.
Quite the opposite.
Texas A&M has spent the offseason rebuilding its backcourt with PJ Haggerty, Jalen Reece and Tyshawn Archie, while former five-star prospect Bryson Warren also joined the program after playing professionally in the G League. The Aggies' current roster additionally includes guards Lukas Walls, Neiko Mundey and returning Jeremiah Green.
That collection would've created quite the competition for possessions even if Lane returned.
Haggerty arrives after averaging 23.4 points and 3.8 assists at Kansas State, while Reece averaged 4.7 assists during SEC play as a freshman at LSU. Warren provides another intriguing option after averaging 19.8 points and 5.0 assists for the Westchester Knicks last season.
Lane will instead use his final season of eligibility elsewhere.
His lone season in College Station won't be remembered for replicating the scoring numbers he produced at North Alabama.
But 28 starts and a team-leading assist average made him considerably more than a temporary depth piece.
Lane helped McMillan navigate Year 1.
The Aggies have simply built a backcourt that should make replacing him in Year 2 considerably easier than his departure initially suggests.
