South Florida Men’s Basketball Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim Dead at 43

Head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim of the Kennesaw State Owls looks on against the Xavier Musketeers in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., on March 17, 2023. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

The University of South Florida men’s basketball program is mourning coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who died on Thursday at the age of 43.

Abdur-Rahim passed away from complications that arose during an unspecified medical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital, according to the USF’s athletic department.

“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 hired as the men’s basketball coach on March 29, 2023, after guiding Kennesaw State in Georgia from a one-win season to a 26–9 record in 2022–23. The Owls won the regular season and tournament championship of the Atlantic Sun Conference, earning the program’s first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament berth.

Abdur-Rahim was a unanimous choice for American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in his first season at South Florida, leading the Bulls to a 25–8 overall record and  16–2 in the American Athletic Conference—both program records for wins. South Florida won its first-ever regular season conference title with an 11-win improvement over 2022–23.

USF also earned its first-ever Top 25 ranking in men’s basketball during the season, reaching as high as No. 24 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. Abdur-Rahim is the only USF coach to win their regular season debut and their conference debut.

Abdur-Rahim also spent one year as an assistant coach at the University of Georgia in 2018–19 under head coach Tom Crean. Abdur-Rahim helped the Bulldogs secure a top-10 recruiting class, including Anthony Edwards, who was selected as the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA Draft.

He was also an assistant at Texas A&M from 2014–18 when the Aggies advanced to two Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and 2018.

“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,” USF President Rhea Law said in a statement. “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.”