South Florida males’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died Thursday whereas present process a medical process, the varsity confirmed. Abdur-Rahim was 43.
The varsity stated in an announcement that issues arose throughout his therapy at a Tampa-area hospital.
“All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the family members of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” athletic director Michael Kelly stated in an announcement. “He was genuine, pushed, and his infectious character captivated all of Bulls Nation. Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves an enduring affect on our student-athletes, the College, and the neighborhood.”
Abdur-Rahim was seen as a rising star within the occupation and a possible main program coach. He led a outstanding turnaround in his first season with the Bulls final 12 months, incomes unanimous American Athletic Convention Coach of the 12 months honors. He coached South Florida to a school-record 25 victories, its first regular-season convention title ever, its first look within the polls and its first NIT look in additional than a decade.
Earlier than taking on the Bulls in March 2023, Abdur-Rahim, a Georgia native, guided Kennesaw State to 26 wins and its first journey to the NCAA Event after this system went 1-28 in his first season on the helm (2019-20).
The Southeastern Louisiana graduate additionally hung out as an assistant at Georgia and Texas A&M.
“In a really brief time, Coach Abdur-Rahim made an indelible affect on the College of South Florida,” faculty president Rhea Legislation stated. “All through my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I used to be regularly impressed by his management, and actually admired his honest strategy to connecting with our total pupil physique. His affect on our student-athletes, teaching workers and the college neighborhood will reside on perpetually.”
Corey Staniscia witnessed Abdur-Rahim’s affect and honest connections firsthand because the director of the Bulls’ Fowler Ave Collective. Abdur-Rahim despatched random supportive textual content messages. Greater than as soon as, he hung across the campus Starbucks and put college students’ drinks on his tab.
The final time Staniscia noticed him, he requested how the group was jelling. Abdur-Rahim’s reply: “I’m getting them to like one another.”
“That man liked his athletes and what he did,” Staniscia stated. “He actually did care about them.
“We couldn’t have requested for a greater individual to be right here.”
Abdur-Rahim is survived by his spouse, Arianne Buchanan, and three kids, Laila, Lana and Aydin. His older brother, Shareef, was a longtime ahead within the NBA.
Abdur-Rahim’s loss of life comes lower than per week earlier than South Florida’s scheduled exhibition in opposition to Edward Waters. The varsity didn’t announce an interim coach.
(Photograph: Chris Jones / Imagn Pictures)
