Amir Abdur-Rahim, the coach of South Florida’s males’s basketball program, has died. The tragic and sudden information was introduced Thursday by the university. He was 43 years outdated.
Abdur-Rahim “was present process a medical process at a Tampa-area hospital when he handed away attributable to issues that arose throughout the process,” in accordance with the varsity.
Abdur-Rahim had been a rising star in teaching lately and constructed up an amazing title as a quick-fix wizard. Off the court docket, his status was extremely regarded all through the game. The Bulls went 25-8 final season, Abdur-Rahim’s first with this system, successful the American Athletic Convention with a 16-2 mark and bettering USF’s win whole by 11 video games from the earlier 12 months. The Bulls’ regular-season AAC title was the primary at school historical past; the group’s 25 wins had been additionally a single-season faculty document. Because of a school-best 15-game house successful streak, USF broke via within the AP High 25 beneath Abdur-Rahim throughout the 2023-24 season, marking the primary time in program historical past the varsity had notched such an achievement.
He fairly actually modified damaged packages for the higher, doing it a number of occasions in a brief window of his quickly rising monitor in faculty basketball.
“All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the family members of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” USF athletic director Michael Kelly mentioned. “He was genuine, pushed, and his infectious character captivated all of Bulls Nation. Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves an enduring influence on our student-athletes, the College, and the group. We’re supporting these closest to him, together with his household, group, and athletics workers, to make sure they’ve the assets they should cope with this super loss.”
Previous to being employed at USF, Abdur-Rahim coached Kennesaw State to its first NCAA Match look in 2023. In 4 years, he went from teaching a one-win program in his first season at Kennesaw State to overseeing a 26-9 group out of the ASUN that just about upset Xavier within the first spherical of the NCAA Match. In his 4 years at Kennesaw State, Abdur-Rahim’s groups at the least doubled their win whole from the prior season. Previous to Abdur-Rahim’s teaching job, no faculty had ever gone from a one-win season to creating the NCAA Match in a four-season span.
With 18 years of teaching expertise, Abdur-Rahim was extensively revered and well-connected throughout faculty basketball. He received a number of coach-of-the-year honors at his a number of stops amid his rise within the occupation. He was 70-82 in 5 seasons total at USF and Kennesaw State.
His introductory press convention in 2023 is value watching (15-minute mark), because it reveals a lot of what made Abdur-Rahim such a magnetic presence.
A local of Marietta, Georgia, Abdur-Rahim was a 2004 graduate of Southeastern Louisiana College. As a participant, he was an All-Southland guard thrice. He earned his grasp’s from Murray State. He was a rising assistant for years previous to his promotion to guiding Kennesaw State’s program, notably serving to land future No. 1 NBA choose Anthony Edwards when Abdur-Rahim was on workers on the College of Georgia.
Abdur-Rahim was the youthful brother of Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who spent 13 seasons within the NBA.
Amir Abdur-Rahim is survived by his spouse, Arianne Buchanan, and three younger youngsters: daughters Laila and Lana, and son Aydin.
