Duane Wilson has one year to make an impact at Texas A&M. He's wasted no time in leaving his mark.
Wilson joined Aggie basketball as a graduate transfer for the 2017-18 season. He's put in the work and has started every game this season. It's been an extremely positive beginning for Wilson and the Aggies, and the potential for a special season is evident.
Wilson spent three years at Marquette, appearing in 95 games with 51 starts. He helped the Golden Eagles reach the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Because of his talent and experience, Wilson had some options when he made the decision to transfer. Multiple things set Texas A&M apart.
Â
It started with the coaching staff and the trust Wilson has in them.
"Coach (Isaac)Â Chew recruited me at Marquette which added a comfort level right away," said Wilson. "The rest of the coaching staff here welcomed me with open arms. You want to go to people you trust, and I felt that with the staff here."
The high praise for the coaching staff was important, and it was also hard to ignore the talent already in place in Aggieland.
"Seeing the potential of this team here was big," Wilson remarked. "I played AAU ball against a few of the guys here, and then finding out that Rob (Williams) was coming back pretty much sealed the deal. I thought this would be the best option, and it wasn't too hard to make the decision."
It's been a fresh start for Wilson. Being a part of the NCAA Tournament was a nice finish to his time at Marquette, but his minutes and starts were down last season. It's been a different story this year. Along with starting every game, Wilson leads the team in assists while ranking fourth in both minutes and scoring.
Â
"I don't think many people expected this type of play from me because of the way last season went," noted Wilson. "The coaches here knew what I brought to the table, though, and my teammates believe in me. I always keep a chip on my shoulder. A lot of people will doubt you, and that's just part of life. I let my work do the talking, and our whole team is like that this year."
People often focus on Texas A&M's highly talented posts. It's understandable with the likes of Tyler Davis, Robert Williams and Tonny Trocha-Morelos handling business for the Aggies inside. However, don't sleep on the guards. It's a different group in 2017-18, filled with depth, talent and versatility. This team is complete, and even the post players recognize the difference.
"Our group of guards is very productive all around," remarked Tyler Davis. "Duane's leadership has given that group a big spark, because it's every single day. The younger guys see that and know they have to raise their level to compete with it. It's exciting to see how he's taken charge of that group and to see the young guys follow that." Â
Wilson hopes his impact is felt for years to come. Leadership is a big part of Wilson's role. With talented young guards like Jay Jay Chandler, TJ Starks and JJ Caldwell, this team gives Wilson the perfect opportunity to lead. Wilson hopes he can help create a cycle of leadership for the future.
"I love being able to be a leader for our young guys," Wilson admitted. "I had older guys show me the way, and now I have that opportunity. It's a cycle. Our young guys this year go against guys like me, Admon and DJ every day, which is hopefully making them better. In years to come, they'll hopefully do the same for the younger players under them."
Letting his work do the talking has worked wonders for Wilson so far this season, and his work hasn't gone unnoticed. Coaches and teammates rave about Wilson's productivity, work ethic and leadership.
"Duane has been an incredible leader from the day he got here," said Davis. "He's been a big lift for the posts and the guards. He works hard, and he's an extreme competitor. He's ready to get better each day in practice. You see his energy, and you see his attack mentality. He doesn't stop for anyone, and we need that."
Davis also spoke to the mentor role that Wilson has accepted since his arrival.
"You have to set the bar for younger players," affirmed Davis. "Duane is in the gym constantly. He's a great communicator. You respect the way he works every play. You can't set the bar any higher for younger players that see it and want to be like him. We need that leadership and toughness in order to do what we want to do this year, and that's win a national championship."
That's the expectation. It's not arrogance. This team simply has a belief in itself, and they know the sky is the limit if they reach their potential. Â
"We really believe we can win it all this year," Wilson explained. "We can win a national championship. We have that confidence, and it's no disrespect to other teams. We just feel that we can always win with the five guys we have out on the floor." Â
After a recent home win, Wilson was asked about his decision to be an Aggie. The immediate smile on his face told the story, but Wilson's answer was definitive.
"This is the happiest I've been in my 4-year career of playing college basketball."
Wilson is enjoying the ride in his final collegiate season. He has built lifelong friendships at both Marquette and Texas A&M. Being a great teammate is what his ultimate focus is, but make no mistake, the winning is a nice perk, too.
"I'm blessed to be a part of a top-10 team," finished Wilson. "That's not something I've experienced before. We've played at some really cool places already this year and have experienced so much already as a team. That's stuff you dream about when you're in the back yard shooting hoops as a kid."
Wilson joined Aggie basketball as a graduate transfer for the 2017-18 season. He's put in the work and has started every game this season. It's been an extremely positive beginning for Wilson and the Aggies, and the potential for a special season is evident.
Wilson spent three years at Marquette, appearing in 95 games with 51 starts. He helped the Golden Eagles reach the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Because of his talent and experience, Wilson had some options when he made the decision to transfer. Multiple things set Texas A&M apart.
Â
It started with the coaching staff and the trust Wilson has in them.
"Coach (Isaac)Â Chew recruited me at Marquette which added a comfort level right away," said Wilson. "The rest of the coaching staff here welcomed me with open arms. You want to go to people you trust, and I felt that with the staff here."
The high praise for the coaching staff was important, and it was also hard to ignore the talent already in place in Aggieland.
"Seeing the potential of this team here was big," Wilson remarked. "I played AAU ball against a few of the guys here, and then finding out that Rob (Williams) was coming back pretty much sealed the deal. I thought this would be the best option, and it wasn't too hard to make the decision."
It's been a fresh start for Wilson. Being a part of the NCAA Tournament was a nice finish to his time at Marquette, but his minutes and starts were down last season. It's been a different story this year. Along with starting every game, Wilson leads the team in assists while ranking fourth in both minutes and scoring.
Â
"I don't think many people expected this type of play from me because of the way last season went," noted Wilson. "The coaches here knew what I brought to the table, though, and my teammates believe in me. I always keep a chip on my shoulder. A lot of people will doubt you, and that's just part of life. I let my work do the talking, and our whole team is like that this year."
People often focus on Texas A&M's highly talented posts. It's understandable with the likes of Tyler Davis, Robert Williams and Tonny Trocha-Morelos handling business for the Aggies inside. However, don't sleep on the guards. It's a different group in 2017-18, filled with depth, talent and versatility. This team is complete, and even the post players recognize the difference.
"Our group of guards is very productive all around," remarked Tyler Davis. "Duane's leadership has given that group a big spark, because it's every single day. The younger guys see that and know they have to raise their level to compete with it. It's exciting to see how he's taken charge of that group and to see the young guys follow that." Â
Wilson hopes his impact is felt for years to come. Leadership is a big part of Wilson's role. With talented young guards like Jay Jay Chandler, TJ Starks and JJ Caldwell, this team gives Wilson the perfect opportunity to lead. Wilson hopes he can help create a cycle of leadership for the future.
"I love being able to be a leader for our young guys," Wilson admitted. "I had older guys show me the way, and now I have that opportunity. It's a cycle. Our young guys this year go against guys like me, Admon and DJ every day, which is hopefully making them better. In years to come, they'll hopefully do the same for the younger players under them."
Letting his work do the talking has worked wonders for Wilson so far this season, and his work hasn't gone unnoticed. Coaches and teammates rave about Wilson's productivity, work ethic and leadership.
"Duane has been an incredible leader from the day he got here," said Davis. "He's been a big lift for the posts and the guards. He works hard, and he's an extreme competitor. He's ready to get better each day in practice. You see his energy, and you see his attack mentality. He doesn't stop for anyone, and we need that."
Davis also spoke to the mentor role that Wilson has accepted since his arrival.
"You have to set the bar for younger players," affirmed Davis. "Duane is in the gym constantly. He's a great communicator. You respect the way he works every play. You can't set the bar any higher for younger players that see it and want to be like him. We need that leadership and toughness in order to do what we want to do this year, and that's win a national championship."
That's the expectation. It's not arrogance. This team simply has a belief in itself, and they know the sky is the limit if they reach their potential. Â
"We really believe we can win it all this year," Wilson explained. "We can win a national championship. We have that confidence, and it's no disrespect to other teams. We just feel that we can always win with the five guys we have out on the floor." Â
After a recent home win, Wilson was asked about his decision to be an Aggie. The immediate smile on his face told the story, but Wilson's answer was definitive.
"This is the happiest I've been in my 4-year career of playing college basketball."
Wilson is enjoying the ride in his final collegiate season. He has built lifelong friendships at both Marquette and Texas A&M. Being a great teammate is what his ultimate focus is, but make no mistake, the winning is a nice perk, too.
"I'm blessed to be a part of a top-10 team," finished Wilson. "That's not something I've experienced before. We've played at some really cool places already this year and have experienced so much already as a team. That's stuff you dream about when you're in the back yard shooting hoops as a kid."