Amir Abdur-Rahim, USF’s men’s basketball coach and younger brother of former NBA star Shareef Abdur-Rahim, has passed away at the age of 43.

According to an official statement from USF, Abdur-Rahim died from complications that arose during a medical procedure at a hospital in the Tampa Bay area. He leaves behind his wife, Arianne, and three children.

“All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the loved ones of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” USF Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly said. “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.”

USF President Rhea Law expressed a similar sentiment, adding: “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.

“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.”

Taking to X, the USF men’s basketball social media team wrote: “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.”

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Amir Abdur-Rahim leaves behind a wife and three children

Amir Abdur-Rahim leaves behind a wife and three children ( 

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Following his hiring in March of 2023, Abdur-Rahim propelled the Bulls to a stellar 25-8 record and their first regular-season conference championship. USF was additionally awarded a top 25 regular-season ranking for the first time in program history, at one point being crowned No. 24 in the nation by the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll.

On the heels of the impressive campaign, Abdur-Rahim was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year – marking the second consecutive year in which he was awarded CCOTY honors. The Atlanta, Georgia native previously orchestrated an incredible three-year revitalization at Kennesaw State before taking his talents to USF.

“All the praise is for God to allow myself and my staff to coach an awesome group of young men that allow themselves to be coached and be pushed,” Abdur-Rahim said upon accepting the accolade back in March, later adding: “A team wins a championship, but it’s an athletic department, a support staff, a lot of special people behind the scenes that help us win a championship.

“So I’m just grateful and thankful for the community, for the support, for our fans.”