University of South Florida men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died Oct. 24 at the age of 43, the school has announced.
The university said Abdur-Rahim died from complications while he was undergoing a medical procedure at a hospital in the Tampa area.
“All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the loved ones of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” Vice President for Athletics 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 are supporting those closest to him, including his family, team, and athletics staff, to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with this tremendous loss.”
Abdur-Rahim, who played college basketball at Southeastern Louisiana University, was a rising star in the coaching ranks. Last season, he guided the Bulls to a 25-8 record, earning American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors, while also leading the team to its first regular-season conference title and first Top 25 ranking in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.
“In a very short time, Coach Abdur-Rahim made an indelible impact on the University of South Florida. In his first season as our head coach, he brought an unmatched enthusiasm, achieved unprecedented success and helped generate unforgettable memories for Bulls Nation,” said USF President Rhea Law.
“Throughout my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I was continually inspired by his leadership, and truly admired his sincere approach to connecting with our entire student body. His influence on our student-athletes, coaching staff and the university community will live on forever.”
Prior to his tenure at USF, Abdur-Rahim was the head coach at Kennesaw State University, where he went from one win in his first season in 2019-2020 to a 26-9 record — and a berth in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament — in his fourth and final season in 2022-2023 before taking the coaching job at USF.
Abdur-Rahim is survived by his wife, Arianne, as well as their two daughters and son. One of 13 children, Abdur-Rahim’s older brother is former NBA star Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
The USF men’s basketball team is scheduled to play a home exhibition game on Oct. 30 against Edward Waters University before opening its season Nov. 4 against the University of Florida in Jacksonville. There has been no word on who will take over as head coach.
