USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim dies at 43

University of South Florida head men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died Thursday at the age of 43.

USF officials said he was undergoing a medical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital when he died from complications.

While Abdur-Rahim was with the Bulls for just one season, unprecedented impact.

He was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year as the team posted a 25-8 record, winning the program’s first conference championship and recording the most wins in a season.

Bulls had a record 15-game winning streakIt ranked among the top 25 for the first time in the regular season and reached a single-game attendance record of 10,659 with a 90-86 win over 24th-ranked Florida Atlantic on February 18.

Abdur-Rahim was named a Naismith College Coach of the Year semifinalist days before USF was selected for the National Invitation Tournament, the team’s first postseason appearance since 2018-19. Them beat University of Central Florida before in the first round Losing to VCU in the second round.

“In a very short period of 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 unmatched enthusiasm, achieved unprecedented success, and helped create unforgettable memories for Bulls Nation.” “During my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I have been continually inspired by his leadership and truly admired his genuine approach to connecting with our entire student body. The university community will live on forever,” said USF President Rhea Law.

Abdur-Rahim was hired by USF in March 2023 after a four-year stint as Kennesaw State’s head coach.

He first led a turnaround there, leading the Owls to a 26-9 record after going 1-28 in his first season in 2019-20 and a berth in the NCAA tournament in 2022-23.

In addition to bringing with him a number of Kennesaw State transfer students who made a huge difference at USF, Abdur-Rahim brought a new attitude to the long-struggling program.

HE distributed ice cream to students I met them at the Marshall Student Center as they lined up in front of the Yuengling Center before the games and Celebrated with them in the stands afterwards.

“I think our students, our staff and our people deserve a person as a head coach,” Abdur-Rahim told WUSF in a profile of the team in February. “I have a title, but I’m still a human being. I was raised according to a certain set of principles and values. And I want to be a part of that. I want to be approachable.”

At the time, centre-forward Corey Walker was talking about how much Abdur-Rahim cared about his players.

“It’s certain things,” Walker said. “He doesn’t need to give us a speech. He can just come up to you and say, ‘I love you.’ And that’s like a million words.”

Abdur-Rahim also said the relationship is not just about what happens on the field.

“I’m going to push you in that class. I’m going to push you to study extra,” he said. “You have a girlfriend? Bring her to the office, I want to meet her. And we’ll talk about how to be a man.”

“All of us at South Florida Athletics grieve for Coach Abdur-Rahim’s loved ones,” said Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly. “He was original, 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 cope with this tremendous loss.”

A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, Abdur-Rahim previously served as an assistant coach at Georgia, Texas A&M, Charleston and Murray State.

Abdur-Rahim is survived by his wife Arianne and their three children, daughters Laila and Lana, and son Aydin.