“Better Coach Than He’s a Wrestler”: David Taylor Heading Oklahoma State Hints at Wrestling Prodigy Bo Bassett’s College Choice

The wrestling world is buzzing with anticipation as David Taylor, renowned for his coaching prowess, makes headlines by taking on a new role as the head coach at Oklahoma State University. Taylor’s exceptional coaching skills have garnered widespread recognition. This prompts speculation about his influence on the decisions of promising young talents like wrestling prodigy Bo Bassett in their college choices. With Taylor’s reputation preceding him as a mentor who shapes champions, his move to Oklahoma State hints at a potential game-changer in the landscape of collegiate wrestling.

Amidst this anticipation, Bo Bassett stands out as a rising star in wrestling. Bo Bassett’s rise to prominence began at age 8 under David Taylor’s guidance. Even Bassett’s father acknowledges Taylor’s keen eye for coaching, solidifying his status as a transformative figure in the world of wrestling. Under Taylor’s guidance, Bassett’s skills have flourished, with the young athlete often expressing gratitude for the invaluable mentorship.

Bo Bassett shares his insights on Oklahoma State’s new coaching staff

Recently, Bo Bassett, a seventh grader at Bishop McCort Catholic in Pennsylvania, sat down for a YouTube podcast, Baschamania with host Justin Basch. The two discussed Oklahoma State’s new coach David Taylor amongst other things. The young member of the Young Guns Wrestling Club said he had been familiar with Taylor for a long time, “I’ve known David um for a long time he uh did a couple of Cy Young Guns and I was probably in elementary school middle school um and he’s always been unbelievable person unbelievable coach.” Apparently, Taylor’s mastery as a coach was always evident.

Even Bassett’s dad has full faith in him, “I think um what my dad said he hit a nail on the head a couple years ago he said he’s [Taylor] probably going to be a better coach than he is wrestler and that’s pretty crazy obviously being you know what he is as a wrestler.” Bassett definitely got to see David coach “here and there” and from what he gleaned he can say for sure that Taylor is a great coach. 

Meanwhile, Bassett recently made the U20 team competing in Spain. He will join other Bishop McCort wrestlers like Keegan Bassett and Melvin Miller internationally. As the Bishop McCort Catholic High School sophomore’s top college choices include Arizona State, Iowa State, Rutgers, Indiana, and Cal Baptist, Oklahoma can also be another option given his appreciation for Taylor.

Bo seemed excited about the staff at Oklahoma State, especially with the addition of David Taylor and Thomas Gilman. He said, “I think that it’s unbelievable what they have on there and it’s pretty cool.” When Bassett first heard the rumor, he almost didn’t believe it until the hires were made really quickly with Jimmy Kennedy and David Taylor as assistant coaches and head coach respectively. Bo Bassett finds inspiration in Olympic gold-winning wrestler David Taylor as he forges his own wrestling path.

David Taylor acts as an inspiration for Bo Bassett’s wrestling journey

Taylor’s move to Oklahoma State University could make history, given OSU’s impressive track record of 34 NCAA Team Championships. The addition of Taylor may have just made them the best wrestling college nationwide. So, many wrestlers may have set their eyes on the program. Speculations suggest Bo Bassett may transfer to Oklahoma State University to train under David Taylor. The two have been associated with training sessions multiple times.

Bassett also shared a Twitter video of David Taylor teaching him wrestling moves on the mat and captioned it, “Flashback Friday! Filming some new technique videos with DT, back when I was 8.” Bassett has definitely drawn inspiration from the legendary senior wrestler as he prepares to write his own name in the Hall of Fame. Additionally, David Taylor was on the top of his game when Bassett was growing up. Bassett must have watched Taylor on his TV screen winning multiple wrestling medals and becoming a beacon for a whole generation of wrestlers. Bassett had even attended camp in David’s wrestling club; the M2 Training Center. However, he returned because he knew his heart belonged to Young Guns. Since Basset has already trained under Taylor and was very pleased with the experience, we may expect him to return under his guidance at OSU.