South Florida basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim dies at 43 after problems throughout medical process

Amir Abdur-Rahim, the coach of South Florida’s males’s basketball program, has died. The tragic and surprising information was introduced Thursday by the university. He was 43 years previous. 

Abdur-Rahim “was present process a medical process at a Tampa-area hospital when he handed away as a consequence of problems that arose through the process,” in line with the college.

Abdur-Rahim had been a rising star in teaching in recent times and constructed up an incredible identify as a quick-fix wizard. Off the court docket, his fame 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 in class historical past; the staff’s 25 wins have been additionally a single-season college report. Due to a school-best 15-game dwelling successful streak, USF broke by means of within the AP High 25 below Abdur-Rahim through the 2023-24 season, marking the primary time in program historical past the college had notched such an achievement.

He fairly actually modified damaged applications for the higher, doing it a number of instances in a brief window of his quickly rising monitor in school 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 persona 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, staff, and athletics workers, to make sure they’ve the sources they should take care of this large loss.”

Previous to being employed at USF, Abdur-Rahim coached Kennesaw State to its first NCAA Event 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 Event. In his 4 years at Kennesaw State, Abdur-Rahim’s groups no less than doubled their win whole from the prior season. Previous to Abdur-Rahim’s teaching job, no college had ever gone from a one-win season to creating the NCAA Event in a four-season span.

With 18 years of teaching expertise, Abdur-Rahim was broadly revered and well-connected throughout school 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 kids: daughters Laila and Lana, and son Aydin.