close
close

first Drop

Com TW NOw News 2024

USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim has died at the age of 43
news

USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim has died at the age of 43

play

South Florida men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died Thursday, as originally reported by the Tampa Bay Times and confirmed by the university.

Abdur-Rahim, 43, was about to enter his second year with the Bulls. He was battling an undisclosed illness, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Abdur-Rahim is the younger brother of NBA star Shareef Abdur-Rahim and was considered a rising star in college basketball coaching.

According to a press release from South Florida, Abdur-Rahim was undergoing a medical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital when he died due to complications that arose during the procedure.

“All of us at South Florida Athletics mourn with Coach Abdur-Rahim’s loved ones,” USF athletic director Michael Kelly said in a statement. “He was authentic, driven and his infectious personality captivated all of Bulls Nation. Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the university and the community. We support those closest to him, including his family, team and athletics staff, to ensure they have the resources they need to cope with this tremendous loss.”

USF President Rhea Law said:

“In a very short time, Coach Abdur-Rahim has made an indelible impact on the University of South Florida. In his first season as our head coach, he brought unparalleled enthusiasm, achieved unprecedented success and helped generate of unforgettable memories for Bulls Nation. During my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I was continually inspired by his leadership and truly admired his genuine approach to connecting with our entire student body, His influence on our student-athletes. coaching staff and the university community will live on forever.”

In his first season with the Bulls during the 2023-2024 college basketball season, they went 25-8 and won the American Athletic Conference regular season title for the first time. However, USF did not make the NCAA tournament. Before joining USF, Abdur-Rahim earned high praise in college basketball for turning around Kennesaw State’s basketball program.

The Owls went just 1-28 in his first season, but he helped the team improve to 5-19 in 2020-21, 13-18 in 2021-22 and 26-9 in 2022-23, a season in which they made it to the top . 2023 NCAA Tournament. Following the tournament berth, Abdur-Rahim was hired as USF coach on March 29, 2023.

According to his USF biography, Abdur-Rahim is the father of three children and married to Arianne Buchanan.

This story will be updated.