TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — South Florida coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who led the Bulls to the American Athletic Conference's regular-season championship a year ago, has died, the school announced Thursday. He was 43.
The school said he died from complications that presented while he was undergoing a procedure at a Tampa-area hospital. “He was authentic, driven, and his infectious personality captivated all of Bulls Nation," USF athletic director Michael Kelly said. "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 a rising star in the coaching world. He went 19-65 in his first three seasons at Kennesaw State but enjoyed great success over the next two seasons.
His 2022-23 team at Kennesaw State went 26-9 and made the NCAA Tournament, earning him the shot to coach at USF. He was an immediate success with the Bulls. USF went 25-8 last season, won the AAC regular-season title and won a game in the NIT.
Abdur-Rahim was the unanimous pick as the AAC's coach of the year. “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,” USF President Rhea Law said. “His influence on our student-athletes, coaching staff and the university.