Texas A&M Basketball: Why Zhuric Phelps is the most important team transfer for 2024-25

While certainly not considered a basketball school by many, Texas A&M has quietly had some really solid teams and seasons in recent memory. Last year was another profound example of that, as Buzz Williams’ squad came up just short in overtime in an upset attempt against top-seed Houston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They hung tough in the SEC and performed well at the national stage and there could be more fireworks this season.

The two-headed monster of Tyrece Radford carried the Aggies last season. While Texas A&M will certainly miss Radford, a senior last season, they’ll get another year out of Taylor, who was last year’s leading scorer. They do have several important rotation pieces returning, including Henry Coleman, Jace Carter, Andersson Garcia, and Solomon Washington.

The Aggies do have a few major departures as mentioned above so it’s not a surprise to see Williams using the Transfer Portal to fill those holes. Former Nebraska shooting guard C. J. Wilcher slides nicely into the lineup, providing important depth in the backcourt. There’s another former Big Ten player with potential in Pharrel Payne, a power forward from Minnesota who figures to see plenty of action in his junior year with the Aggies.

Among these new additions, Zhuric Phelps is certainly the one that creates the most excitement. A shooting guard originally from Duncanville, Texas, Phelps started his collegiate career at SMU, the school where he spent the last three seasons. He was a decent bench option as a freshman before exploding onto the scene as an important offensive piece for the Mustangs. He’d actually average 17.5 points per game as a sophomore before taking a slight step back last season with weaker metrics and just 14.8 points a night.

Regardless, these new surroundings present Phelps with a major opportunity for growth. He may not be a direct replacement in terms of production, but Phelps slides into the role vacated by Radford, with the expectation that he can continue to grow his game. The long-range shooting took a big step back last season, though he made nearly half of his shots from inside the arc. He’s a combo guard who can score all over the court and set his teammates up for success.

Phelps’ athleticism, versatility, and experience make him the ideal new weapon at Texas A&M, joining a program with legitimate expectations for this season. Taylor was fantastic as a junior last season and could be even better as the team’s proven leader. There will be new roles for several of the returning players in this lineup. Adding Phelps to the mix bolsters the backcourt while taking some of that pressure off of Taylor and the others.

Much of Texas A&M’s potential for next season lies with Taylor but let’s not pretend he’s the only worthwhile player for the Aggies. Phelps adds reliable offensive talent and could be a monster addition if he can settle down those shooting numbers. Have the Aggies added enough in this offseason to be legitimate contenders in an expanded SEC? Can Phelps come close to copying Radford’s production from last season?