Buzz Williams Has Texas A&M Hoops on the Rise—And He’s Doing It His Way

The Buzz Factor

Williams’ approach to coaching is anything but traditional. He’s intense but compassionate, meticulous yet flexible. Every practice, every film session, every pregame prayer is about more than basketball—it’s about preparation for life.

“The event plus outcome equals your response,” Williams often says, a philosophy that has become the foundation of the Aggies’ culture. That mindset was tested after a frustrating loss to Texas in early January. Instead of dwelling on the disappointment, Williams challenged his team.

“How will we respond?” he asked them.

The answer? With back-to-back wins, a rise in the rankings, and a growing belief that this team is built for something special.

“We all wanted to play immediately to get rid of Texas,” assistant coach Vince Walden said on the Aggie Basketball Hour. “Coach is so competitive, but he also loves our guys. His thought process was, ‘How can I hold them accountable? How can we get better? And how can we win this next game?’”

Williams’ ability to strike that balance—pushing his players while also making them feel valued—is why his teams so often overachieve.

An Experienced, Battle-Tested Group

Part of what makes this year’s team unique is its experience. In an era of constant player movement, the Aggies, who are currently ranked 8th nationally, according to Fanduel's John Rothstein--and boast odds of +6500 to win the national title, have a core group that’s been through the ups and downs together. That continuity has fostered a level of trust and maturity that few teams can match.

“When you have an experienced team, you can survive a roller coaster like this,” Walden said. “Younger teams let one loss turn into two or three. But our guys—they don’t let one setback define them.”

That experience was on full display in Columbia against South Carolina. The Gamecocks, desperate for their first SEC win, threw everything they had at the Aggies. But A&M didn’t flinch. Williams’ team stayed poised, stuck to the game plan, and found a way to close out a tough road win.

“If you watch our bench, it’s a high-level incubator of really good information,” Williams said after the game. “There’s a low ego, high confidence, and a lot of communication about what needs to be said—not just what people want to hear.”

That level of selflessness, that love for one another, is what sets this team apart.

More Than Basketball

For Williams, coaching isn’t just about X’s and O’s. It’s about relationships. It’s about building men.

Before the South Carolina game, assistant coach Walden reminded veteran leaders Wade Taylor IV and Henry Coleman III about their past struggles.

“I said, ‘Hey guys, you were part of an eight-game losing streak. That other locker room is in that position now. Their urgency will be high, but ours has to be even higher.’”

That kind of leadership, instilled by Williams and his staff, is why the Aggies are where they are. It’s why they’re thriving in one of the toughest conferences in the country.

Williams calls his team “an anointed group at an appointed time.” And with every gritty win, every response to adversity, Texas A&M inches closer to something special.