In just his fourth season as the head coach at Texas A&M, Buzz Williams has completely changed the narrative of basketball in a state that prides itself on the gridiron.
At the end of the 2019-20 athletic year, only 118,112 fans watched the 17 total games that the basketball program hosted that season. On average, that’s 6,948 people per game.
At the end of this season, Reed has welcomed 30,363 more fans with one less total home game. The average amount of attendance increased by 2,332 people per game.
This is the most fans that have packed inside these walls in over a decade.
Williams did not just reestablish the love of basketball back into the homes of the 12th Man but rather installed a culture built around the most important thing in college basketball.
Winning.
For the first time in over 40 years, the Aggies went undefeated in conference play on their home court as they finished their memorable season with a 67-61 win against the No. 2 team in the nation in Alabama.
For the second time in his career, he has been named SEC Coach of the Year, alongside Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse, for the 2022-23 regular season. Williams won the award in 2019-20, his first season in Aggieland.
Hear what the Aggie players had to say about their coach’s honor:
Wade Taylor IV
“Coach deserves it all. The highs and the lows that he’s been through … all the work he has done to get here … all the things … His story … it just means a lot to see him win this and I am very excited for him.”
Julius Marble
“It just shows the testament to this team, coaching staff and what we’ve been doing. He’s come to work every single day to just make us better and be a better coach and be a better person. For him to get that award just means everything to us because we know how great he is and now the world sees how great he is and gives him the recognition for it.”
Solomon Washington
“We were counted out in January and nobody ever thought we would be in this position right now. It just speaks to what type of players coach Buzz has on his team. We know he puts his head on the chalkboard for us every day so we’re going to go out there and put it all on the court for him.”
Hayden Hefner
“To be honest, I don’t see how any other coach would’ve been chosen over him. He’s somebody that works day in and day out. He’s always willing to lead the charge whether it’s anything we’re doing. He’s always going to hold the team accountable, his staff accountable, the managers, really just anybody who puts on the Aggie attire. It’s an exciting feeling to see him receive an award like that.”
Manny Obaseki
“It’s really no surprise. Especially if you have worked with him every day. Just the way he works, the way he pushes himself just to be a good leader for us … he is one of the most outstanding, hardworking and determined coaches you’ll ever meet. Not even as a coach but as a person. He will never lie to you, he will always tell you the truth. I think that’s what makes him special. He stays in his own lane, too. He doesn’t have to be over here or in the mix over there; he just stays in his own lane and continues to break barriers.”
Andersson Garcia
“He really deserved that. I respect all the different coaches and the things they do but what coach [Buzz] does outside of the cameras and how he makes every player grow up inside the core … that is something that can make him look way better as a coach and a person too.”