Credit: @USFMMB on XIn the days after Hurricane Milton struck Central Florida, the University of South Florida men’s basketball coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, called the school’s athletic director, Michael Kelly, to check-in. Despite its name’s suggestion, USC is in Central Florida, located in Tampa.
Abdur-Rahim wanted to ensure the school’s athletic facilities survived the storm. Abdur-Rahim was going to Walt Disney World for his daughter’s birthday. The last thing he told Kelly was going to see “this little girl of mine smile at this birthday celebration.”
When we break down each and every huddle, we'll be honoring Coach Amir. 💚 pic.twitter.com/lh1SofYsUY
— USF Men's Basketball (@USFMBB) November 2, 2024
Less than a week later, the 43-year-old Amir Abdur-Rahim was dead. The university said Abdur Rahim died of complications while undergoing a surgical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital.
Abdur-Rahim’s wife, Arianne, told the crowd at a memorial service on November 2:
They say that time heals all things. But while for some life moves on, for us, it just gets worse. This is not a business trip. I cannot tell my son, ‘Yes,’ when he asks if Amir is coming home soon. This will never be OK. It won’t ever seem right or fair.
He was my heart and soul. Many have asked how I can (find the strength) to stand up here. In truth, I don’t know. But what I do know is I’m (strengthened) by God’s grace. And in my head, I can hear Amir’s voice telling me countless times, ‘You are stronger than you know.’ He would want me to dig deep. He would want me to stand up here and thank each and every one of you, everyone who contributed to what he was building here.
Abdur-Rahim was a rising star in college basketball. He began his coaching career at Kennesaw State University, where the team won one game during his first season.
By his fourth season in 2023, Abdur-Rahim led Kennesaw State to 26 wins and an NCAA tournament bid. He was given the Hugh Durham Award for the nation’s best mid-major coach.
After the 2023 season, Abdur-Rahim Abdur-Rahim was hired to be the head coach at South Florida. There, he led the team to its best season in program history.
In 2024, USF had a school-record 25 wins and won the American Athletic Conference regular season title. Before his arrival, the Bulls had never finished above. .500 in the AAC and hadn’t finished a season above .500 since 2012.
His death leaves a massive hole in the program and the entire university.
USF basketball player Kobe Knox said:
He was one of the first people, other than my parents, who said to me, ‘I love you.’ I’m not sure I liked it or reacted to it well at first. But as time went on, it got easier to say. It really, really meant a lot to me.
Every day, just seeing that smile on his face. There was never a day when we came to the gym and he didn’t give us 100-percent of his effort in coaching us. He always told us he loved us. We love him. We’ll forever love him.
Abdur-Rahim is survived by his wife and three children.