Buzz Williams named new Maryland men’s basketball head coach

The new Maryland men’s basketball head coach, Buzz Williams, promised he and anybody associated with the team will give their best in his introductory press conference at Xfinity Center on Wednesday, three days after former men’s basketball head coach, Kevin Willard, left for Villanova. 

“I understand the magnitude and responsibility that comes with it,” Williams said about being part of a team. 

While his team was still in the NCAA March Madness tournament, Willard disrupted the Maryland athletic community when he announced to the media that former Maryland athletic director Damon Evans was “probably” going to Southern Methodist University in a press conference on March 20.

He also talked about other problems he had with the program during a time when he was still working on a new contract with Maryland but also rumored to go to Villanova. 

“I need to make sure that we are where we are with NIL and [revenue]share is not where we’ve been with NIL over the past two years,” Willard said in the same press conference.

Evans did leave for SMU and Willard was announced as Villanova’s head coach on March 30, three days after Maryland lost in the Sweet 16, prompting University of Maryland President Darryll Pines and interim athletic director Colleen Sorem to launch a head coach search. 

Pines made clear that they did a lot of research, including watching videos of Buzz coaching, doing press interviews and during leadership training exercises. 

But one video where Williams didn’t speak at all stood out to them.

“That man right there next to Wade, one of the greatest people you will ever meet. He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time in basketball in general,” said Texas A&M senior Manny Obaseki in a press conference clip that went viral within Maryland social media communities. ”He’s changed my life, he’s changed each and every one of our lives.” 

Williams said that Dr. Pines was important in getting him to College Park, emphasizing that the process was “unique” and “tight.” 

“I thought Dr. Pines was very direct from the get-go and that was very attractive to my family and I,” Williams said. 

One Maryland fan said that he was hesitant when Williams was announced but that after hearing him talk about different play styles, he believes the program is in good hands.

“He was different from Virginia Tech to Texas A&M and how he’s going to navigate the Big Ten,” Michael Rouillard, junior psychology major, said. “People that are worried about how defensive he was at Texas A&M, that might not be the case here. 

Samuel Slater, junior economics major, echoed that Williams is a good hire but still has some questions about the Maryland team. 

“More so the roster. What’s it going to look like? Are we going to retain rRce, some of the other guys, some of the other recruits? Because we don’t have anyone right now,” Slater said. 

Rodney Rice and Ja’Kobi Gillespie have entered the transfer portal. Selton Miguel and Julian Reese were both seniors this season and Derik Queen is expected to declare for the NBA draft. They were all members of Maryland’s starting five this season, nicknamed the “Crab Five.”

Other players on the roster have followed them into the transfer portal as well. 

“I need to evaluate who’s on the team, I need to hire staff, but we need to be very thoughtful about who joins our team. Not only for this year’s team but does it make sense for now and in the future,” Williams said.

Williams said transparently that over the last 32 hours he hadn’t done any recruiting but that he plans to start soon. 

“All I can tell you is I will try real hard and that the intent of my heart will not be selfish and the intent of the heart will be to be the best we can be to represent all of the teams,” Williams said.