University of South Florida men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who is from Marietta and who previously coached at Kennesaw State , died Thursday at the age of 43 from complications during a medical procedure.
Abdur-Rahim was undergoing the procedure at a Tampa-area hospital when he died because of complications that arose during the procedure, according to USF.
“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 turned around the Kennesaw State program in three years and led the Owls to the NCAA Tournament in 2023. The Owls were eliminated by Xavier 72-67 in a dramatic first-round game at Greensboro Coliseum. Days later, Abdur-Rahim was hired by South Florida. He led the Bulls to their first-ever first regular-season American Athletic Conference championship with a 25-8 record, the most wins in program history, in 2023-24. He was about to enter his second season at USF.