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Aggies in the NBA: 5 Former Texas A&M Stars to Appear in 2023 Playoffs

Five former Aggies have, and will continue to make impacts on their current NBA teams ahead of the first round of the playoffs starting Saturday and Sunday.

Matt Guzman

In this story:

If nothing else regarding Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball was certain, the level of play that sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV showed during the Aggies' historic SEC run was NBA-level. 

The guard put up numbers that had not been seen since current Golden State superstar point guard Steph Curry was at Davidson in 2008, putting Taylor's name among some of college basketball's best. 

And though the Aggies ended their season in disappointing fashion, Taylor set himself up to be Texas A&M's next potential NBA draft pick.

Five of those players have already made their mark in the league, however, and are set to make either their first, or another appearance in the 2023 playoffs. Here's where they are, and how they may be able to impact their teams in the postseason:

Khris Middleton (Texas A&M forward 2009-12) — Milwaukee Bucks, East's 1-seed

During his three years in College Station, Middleton continuously proved to be a reliable scorer for the Aggies — who hadn't made the move to the SEC yet. 

The forward saw a large improvement in his stats from his first year to the second, and maintained an All-Big 12 level of play throughout both of his latter years alongside the Aggies' star guard Elston Turner, averaging close to 15 points both years.

Turner and Middleton played one season together, but despite leading the Aggies to a first-round victory in the conference tournament, the Aggies were ultimately knocked out by No. 3 ranked Kansas in the quarterfinals to end their season.

Since joining the NBA in 2012, Middleton has become a true star in Milwaukee, which now boasts a big three of him, superstar center Giannis Antetokounmpo and point guard Jrue Holliday. The Bucks have made the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons and the Eastern Conference Finals twice in that span, while also taking home a championship in the 2020-21 season. 

Middleton was crucial to the Bucks' postseason success, averaging three straight 20-plus point seasons as a go-to scoring option for coach Mike Budenholzer before a knee injury kept him sidelined for the majority of this year. 

However, per Budenholzer, Middleton is seemingly ramping up for the playoffs, and the Bucks are "planning for him to practice Thursday" ahead of their first-round matchup — a huge addition back into the lineup as Milwaukee looks to add another title to its resume.

Middleton and the Milwaukee Bucks will await the winner of the East Play-In Tournament Sunday in game one of the East playoffs. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. 

Robert Williams III (Texas A&M forward 2016-18) — Boston Celtics, East's 2-seed

Though Williams only spent two years with the Aggies, his name was etched in almost every history book imaginable — especially on the defensive end. 

During his two-year tenure, the forward earned All-Defensive distinctions numerous times, being named to the SEC's All-Defensive Team both years, and both sole and co-ownership of the Defensive Player of the Year award, among other awards. 

Williams led the SEC in blocks and continued his dominance down low when he joined the NBA in 2018. Since then, the center has averaged 1.7 blocks and 6.9 rebounds to add a solid defensive presence for the Celtics. 

When he was drafted, Williams quickly made a name for himself — being late to his draft-day press conference to earn the nickname "Time Lord" — and has only further cemented himself among Boston's core. 

This season, Williams was "late" to start playing as well, as he did not make his debut until mid-December recovering from an offseason knee procedure. Since returning, however, the Celtics have been outplaying their opponents on both ends of the floor. 

Entering the offseason as a top-2 seed, the Celtics will once again look to reach the NBA Finals — having lost to Curry and the Warriors last season — to reclaim the most championships in the league by passing the Los Angeles Lakers, and Williams will be a key part of that.

Williams and the Boston Celtics are set to face the Atlanta Hawks in game one of the East first-round Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Danuel House Jr. (Texas A&M forward 2014-16) — Philadelphia 76ers, East's 3-seed

When House made known to Houston that he intended to transfer after his sophomore year, the news was not taken lightly. The powerhouse program that was looking to make a deep tournament run would be losing one of its best scorers and made life hard for the young forward — giving him a conditional release that made Texas A&M one of the only programs he was allowed to consider. 

However, a short time later, House was officially an Aggie, able to play right away following his school change. And he took advantage. The 6-7 forward averaged around 15 points and three rebounds in his two years with Texas A&M and earned multiple All-SEC distinctions in the process. 

House was also a pivotal part of the Aggies NCAA tournament run in 2016, when the Aggies made the sweet sixteen and overcame the largest deficit in the final minute in NCAA basketball history.

Since joining the NBA, House has played for numerous teams — his best season coming with the Houston Rockets in his fourth year when he averaged 10.5 points and 4.2 rebounds. This season, House has taken a lesser role with the 76ers, though he is focused on "controlling what [he] can control" in terms of his playing time.

The veteran is currently averaging 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds on near-50 percent field goal percentage, and though he may not see extensive minutes in the playoffs, he has been a solid role player for Philadelphia — who has yet to advance beyond the second round since the arrival of likely-MVP Joel Embiid — and will be ready if called upon. 

House and the Philadelphia 76ers are set to match up against the Brooklyn Nets in game one of the East first-round Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. 

Alex Caruso (Texas A&M guard 2012-16) — Chicago Bulls, East's 10-seed

When the "Bald Eagle" landed in Aggieland, nobody expected him to impact Texas A&M's program the way he did. Caruso spent all four of his college years with the Aggies and made each one count. 

The guard brought energy to the court, but also playmaking. Though his point totals steadied around nine, his assist totals and his defense told the story of his game. By the end of his time with Texas A&M, Caruso held the all-time record for assists and steals in program history. 

While his stats earned him SEC honors, his play also earned him minutes throughout the season, including the sweet sixteen.

Caruso only continued to shine when he arrived in the NBA, quickly becoming a favorite among Los Angeles Lakers fans, who often praised his athleticism and hustle. In his four years with the Lakers, he averaged 6.2 points, 2.5 assists and a steal — also playing a part in the Lakers' 2020 championship.

Since being traded to Chicago, Caruso's numbers have gotten better as the guard continues to provide all-around effort for whatever team he plays for. 

Last season, the Bulls had a quick exit in the playoffs, and will be facing a similar level of adversity this season as the 10th seed, but besides turning to their stars, they will also be able to utilize Caruso — a true all-around player for their system.

Caruso and the Chicago Bulls are set to travel to face the Toronto Raptors Wednesday in the East Play-In Tournament. If they win, they will play the Miami Heat Friday for the last spot in the East. Tipoff Wednesday is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M center 2007-08) — Denver Nuggets, West's 1-seed 

Despite only playing one season of college basketball, Jordan solidified himself as a guaranteed NBA prospect. During his lone year with Texas A&M, the center averaged nearly eight points, six rebounds and a block, which was enough to earn him a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman team following the season. 

That year, Texas A&M advanced to the NCAA tournament and secured a first-round victory, but its success was short-lived, as the Aggies lost a close game to the UCLA Bruins to finish their season. 

Jordan brought size and athleticism to the boards — just a few spots away from the top 10 in rebounds per game in the conference. And that remained the case when he went to the league. 

The 6-11 center was nothing short of a monster down low, especially in the middle of his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he had five straight seasons averaging a double-double. Since his departure from LA, Jordan has not kept up the same numbers but has continued to reside in the league as more of a second option. 

And sitting behind the reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, that may not be much of a surprise. But Jordan still brings positive energy to the Nuggets, both on and off the court. This season, the 17th-year veteran is averaging around five points and five assists, while shooting 76.1 percent from the field. 

The Nuggets have made the playoffs each of the last five years, only advancing past the second round once in 2020 — the year they ran into the star duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. This year, the Nuggets enter the postseason with high hopes as the top overall seed in the West, and Jordan will be there each step along the way. 

Jordan and the Denver Nuggets will await the winner of the West Play-In Tournament Sunday in game one of the West playoffs. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. 

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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