By appointing Alex Caruso as a special advisor, the Aggies could leverage a two-time NBA champion's blueprint to mentor players and bridge the gap to professional success.
TCU found a pretty creative way to utilize one of the best basketball players its program has ever produced this summer.
Maybe Texas A&M should steal the idea.
Former Horned Frogs star Desmond Bane returned to Fort Worth in June as TCU's first Chief Basketball Officer, a volunteer role that allows the current Orlando Magic guard to serve as a special adviser to Jamie Dixon's program.
Bane's responsibilities include player mentorship, career-management guidance, insight into player development and serving as a liaison between TCU and the NBA.
Sound useful?
Well, Bucky McMillan already knows somebody.
Alex Caruso doesn't need much of an introduction in College Station.
The College Station native spent four seasons with the Aggies from 2012-16, left as the program's all-time leader in assists and steals and helped Texas A&M win a share of the 2016 SEC regular-season championship before reaching the Sweet 16.
He's since turned an undrafted NBA career into something considerably more impressive.
Caruso has won two NBA championships and earned two All-Defensive selections while developing into one of the league's most respected role players.
But here's what makes the Bane comparison particularly interesting.
Caruso is already helping A&M.
Ahead of the Aggies' second-round NCAA Tournament matchup in March, McMillan revealed that his players had recently held a Zoom meeting with the former A&M guard.
"AC is a winner," McMillan said when asked about Caruso. "I think that's something that you all want your players to strive to be."
Exactly.
So why stop at a Zoom call?
TCU's arrangement with Bane provides an interesting blueprint for what a more formal relationship between Caruso and his alma mater could look like.
There wouldn't need to be any coaching responsibilities involved. Bane isn't joining Dixon's bench, either.
The value is access.
Current Aggies would have a direct line to someone who went from an accomplished four-year college player to undrafted, then the G League, then a legitimate NBA career that has included championships and All-Defensive recognition.
That's a pretty useful career path for college players to hear about in an era when so much attention naturally gravitates toward draft projections, NIL money and immediate professional opportunities.
And unlike some hypothetical alumni reunion, A&M wouldn't exactly need to make an introduction.
Caruso has remained connected to the program. McMillan is already putting him in front of his players.
TCU just provided the Aggies with an idea for what could come next. Give him a title. And keep that Zoom link handy.
