Buzz Williams believes Wade Taylor could be the next head coach at Texas A&M

Wade Taylor IV has spent four years under Buzz Williams, and the Texas A&M head coach wouldn’t mind keeping him around for a while longer. However, Taylor wouldn’t be a player. On Monday, Williams discussed the possibility of Taylor joining the Aggies’ coaching staff after his playing days are over.

“I’ve already offered him a job,” Williams said. “I’ve actually offered three guys on our [team] a job prior to this week. I think [Wade Taylor IV] thinks he’s going to play a long time and wants to play a long time. I’ve tried to explain to him, I may not be coaching when you’re done playing, so my offer is going to expire before your playing career expires.

“I did the same thing with Eli Lawrence last year. I thought he had a really special way about him. I was an assistant coach when I did it with Bryan Davis and Joe Fulce. Obviously, I became a head coach by the time I coached Joe. I kept my word on those two guys.

“I’ll have to visit with the administration if [Taylor accepts] because we’ll have to create some spots. But I think [Taylor] is going to play for a while. But I think he will be maybe the next head coach at Texas A&M. He’s a special person, but he has a fast, fast twitch brain when it comes to ball.” 

Taylor’s high basketball IQ has served him well over his four years with the Aggies. Taylor is 25 points away from breaking Texas A&M’s all-time scoring record, which has stood for over 20 years. The star senior is averaging 15.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game this season.

Despite his countless accolades at the collegiate level, Taylor isn’t generating much draft buzz. He wasn’t included in ESPN’s latest top 100 NBA prospects list and at only 6-foot, lacks the typical height of an NBA guard.

Of course, Taylor has bigger things on his mind right now than his career at the next level. Texas A&M is the No. 22 team in the country and poised for a deep run in March Madness. Williams knows none of it would be possible without Taylor.

“He’s playing less minutes, shooting less shots with a higher assist turnover ratio than he’s ever had because he realizes the abilities of our team. He’s the most unselfish, talented player with the ball that I’ve ever seen.

“He really cares about the program doing well. He takes a lot of pride in an humble way of the change of trajectory the program has had since he’s been here… He thinks like a coach. He consumes information at a fast rate.”