Buzz Williams raves about impact of Wade Taylor IV after record-setting performance

Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV became the program’s all-time leading scorer with his output in their season finale on Saturday. Still, Buzz Williams says his effect on them goes far beyond the point totals.

Following the 66-52 win for the Aggies at LSU, Williams was asked to describe the value of Taylor IV to A&M. There was just no way, though, for him to do it accurately.

“I don’t think that there’s any good way for me, postgame, to quantify how impactful he’s been,” Williams said.

As a senior, Taylor IV is averaging 15.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. That’s coming off their final game in the regular season this weekend with 17 points, six rebounds, and a steal. Of those 17 down in Baton Rouge, the ninth was the historic one with a third three-pointer in just over five minutes in the game giving him the school record as he now sits at 1,999 at just a point shy of 2,000. He also, earlier today, earned, for the third-straight year, a nod on the All-SEC First Team.

However, again, Taylor IV is more than a scorer. He has done a lot of work, physically and mentally, to be beyond just that while in College Station. That growth is why the Aggies have been one of the better ones in the last four years, including this year where they’ve been in the rankings throughout with a record of 22-9 (11-7) and a winning mark against Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents per the NET.

“Who he is off the floor, his leadership ability, the relationships he has with everyone within the program – the managers, the players, the coaching staff. He has continued to evolve. He has continued to develop, not just on the court but in all of the intangibles,” said Williams. “I think that his diligence in working at his craft, working on his body, spending time in the film room, understanding his game? He’s been guarded every possible way you could, you could dream of – in a ball screen, uh, off the ball, on the ball – and he’s continued to grow in his knowledge and still be able to perform and execute when he’s probably at the top of most scouting reports, regardless of who we play.”

“This season, entering today, we’ve played the fourth-toughest schedule in the country and we’ve played 14 Quad I games and 14 of those Quad I games are Quad IA games. So we’ve played the nation’s best and, categorically start to finish, our operation is much smoother when he’s in the game,” Williams added.

Taylor IV has become an all-time player for the Aggies as their leading scorer and, as of last week, a name that already has his jersey retired in College Station. Now, he has one tournament run left to try to take Texas A&M further than they’ve ever been before before he goes.

“I think his ability to carry the burden of being our best leader and our best performer, and making things happen when nothing else seems to work is a gift and he has handled that gift in as humble a way as any elite-level player I’ve ever seen,” Williams said.