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Oct 15, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Bucky McMillan talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

How Texas A&M Changed Rueben Dominguez's Life

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Kolton Becker | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 11:01 AM ET

Guarding the sophomore from Puerto Real, Spain, is going to be a challenge for any team that faces Texas A&M this season.

Ruben Dominguez, the 22-year-old guard who is 6-foot-6 and has four years of pro experience, brings a unique skillset to Aggieland that coach Bucky McMillan was looking for to construct his new roster.

The 2019 FIBA World Championship MVP, who has won a silver and gold medal in FIBA U16 and U19, wanted to bring his expertise to College Station, Texas, and shared his basketball journey with the media ahead of the home opener at Reed Arena.

Landing With Aggies

Having a coaching staff that can assist in the recruiting process always makes the transition easier when a coach is building a roster without a team entering a new season.

Luckily, McMillan had associate head coach Mitch Cole, who was in constant contact with Dominguez to try to convince him to join the Aggies.

“I had some contact with Mitch Cole,” Dominguez said. “That’s how I came here. It was a long way with the visa and stuff, but since the end of my season, we were talking about it, and I was really excited to come here. We finally made it happen.”

Playing pro ball in Spain and choosing collegiate basketball were decisions Dominguez considered carefully, but he said he felt it was in his best interest.

“I think it has changed a little bit,” Dominguez said. “With the NIL, it’s a big opportunity to change my life, my family's life.”

Not only did playing D1 basketball change his and his family's lives, but it also transformed how Dominguez wanted to develop as a player and as a person.

“The work they do here, I now realize how good and how important it is for me to be here and grow as a person and as a player,” Dominguez said.

One adjustment that caught Dominguez's eye was how attractive it is when people come to watch practice and workouts, as it helps him display his talent and pave a more straightforward path to the NBA.

“There’s a lot of people coming to our practices, our workouts,” Dominguez said. “We don’t have that in Spain. We do, sometimes, but not as much.”

Fit With Bucky

Ever since Bucky was named the coach at A&M, he has constantly preached that his style of basketball will play at a high pace. That caught the attention of Dominguez when he stated it was all he wanted in a new system.

“His play style is all I’m looking for,” Dominguez said. “It’s just playing fast, like at high volume of possessions, of threes, of course.”

Joining a program where the style of play that he originally came from was different was another enticing reason to pack his bags and join the Aggies.

“Another thing is pressing up full court,” Dominguez said. “I find that play style interesting. I think it’s going to work. It’s something different.”

Reminiscing on how basketball was always in his life made it easier to continue improving in areas like shooting. One of those special characteristics that developed during that time was shooting three-pointers at an elite level in ways most basketball players don’t.

“When I was a kid, I already had something natural,” Dominguez said. “There was one summer — in the area I’m from, there’s like a national tournament, so for that, I was a lot on my shooting, and from there, it just came super easy for me. I was practicing with my eyes closed. Shooting with my eyes closed. Threes. Everything. From there, it has always been my first weapon.”

Entering the culture with McMillan, where his style is honored and appreciated, adds to the list of reasons to be a part of something special, and it will all start when he steps onto the court on Monday, November 3, at 7 p.m.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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