Head Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim of the Kennesaw State Owls looks on against the Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
OAN Staff James Meyers 3:02 PM – Friday, October 25, 2024
University of South Florida men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died on Thursday at 43-years-old, due to an “undisclosed illness.”
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USF Head Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim promised the school a conference championship & did it in his first season
According to the school, complications that arose during a medical procedure at a hospital in the Tampa area caused his death.
Abdur-Rahim was a rising star in the coaching world, and many college sports fans have expressed their sympathy and love for him and his surviving family members since learning of his passing.
“We are heartbroken over the passing of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” the school wrote in a statement on X.
“A tremendous man & leader with an infectious personality that was a shining light to all he encountered. Our thoughts & prayers are with his family, friends and everyone that he left a lasting impact on.”
We are heartbroken over the passing of Coach Abdur-Rahim.
A tremendous man & leader with an infectious personality that was a shining light to all he encountered.
Our thoughts & prayers are with his family, friends and everyone that he left a lasting impact on. pic.twitter.com/h353f3FNno
Abdur-Rahim was going into his second season as the coach of the Bulls after helping the team win the AAC regular season conference championship last year.
The regular season title marked the first time USF has ever won its conference and were ranked in the Associated Press top 25.
“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 was considered a motivated individual who told the USF athletics director to be prepared for a winning culture at the time of his hiring.
“I asked (Kelly), ‘You afraid of heights? Because you’re going to have to get up on that ladder one day to cut down those nets,’” the coach said during the press conference in which he was introduced as the program’s head coach.
Before coming to USF, Abdur-Rahim changed the culture at Kennesaw State, after taking over a team that had a horrible 1-28 record, he was able to lead them to a 26-9 record and led KSU to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
The 43-year-old is survived by his wife and three children.
Only one D-I head coach over the past 40 years has done the following in his first season with a school:
– 15+ Game Winning Streak – Regular Season Conf Champ – Set Program Record For Wins – Program’s 1st Ever AP Poll Ranking
