Buzz Williams states Wade Taylor IV is the 'best player that's ever played' at Texas A&M

No. 22 Texas A&M will honor eight important seniors on Tuesday ahead of their matchup against No. 1 Auburn. Among them will be Wade Taylor IV with, according to his head coach, the best player in school history taking the court one last time in College Station.

Buzz Williams made that statement about Taylor IV during his press conference on Monday. Williams didn’t do so casually but, based on his thoughts of the history, Taylor IV is the all-time best player for the Aggies. That’s even more notable considering how far he has come over his time at A&M.

“Well, obviously I’ve had two tenures here so I want to be careful in words that I say and I also want to be respectful of those that coached and played here when I wasn’t here. But, I have looked at that stuff earlier in the year – a lot of really good players,” Williams said. “I personally think what four has done here in his four-year tenure, whether you talk about the wins of the program, his accelerated path and what’s he’s mean to each of the teams that he’s played on? I know it’s not the only record he’ll break but it’s maybe one of the most known. I think he’s the best player that’s ever played here when you add in all of those ingredients.”

“I know that there’s been many other great players. I don’t think anybody would have thought that upon arrival. Nobody for sure thought that when we were recruiting him. And I think, back-to-back first-time all-league players going into his senior year? All of the things that he’s accomplished? I personally believe he’s deserving of them,” said Williams. “I think, who he is as a person, the student he’s been, the leader he has become? He hasn’t shied away from any of it and I just have great respect for him.”

Taylor IV has averaged 14.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 steals to this point of his collegiate career. Those stats improve to 16.8 points, 4.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals as a starter the past three years. That has him 25 points away from their all-time scoring record. He’s then also top-ten in categories like games, assists, steals, field goals, three-pointers, and free throws.

With that, Taylor IV is a two-time selection as All-SEC. He has also, since arriving in 2021, helped lead Texas A&M to an overall record of 93-47 (.664). They’ve had rankings in each of the last three seasons, been successful throughout in the SEC and SEC Tournament, and will now make a third-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

That, though, is a credit to all of those seniors as much as it is to their best player in that time said Williams.

“Those guys that have been here as long as they have that (she) mentioned? They’ve had opportunities to go elsewhere in this new model and their loyalty to one another and to the institution I think is rare,” said Williams.

Taylor IV will play one final game inside Reed Arena on Tuesday. It could be a memorable one too if he were to break the school’s scoring record and or help them to a win against the top-ranked team in the country.

“Hopefully he breaks it tomorrow night at home,” Williams said. “That’d be cool.”