USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who led the Bulls to the program’s first regular-season conference title in his first year in charge last winter, died Thursday after an undisclosed illness.

USF confirmed his death early Thursday evening with a post on its official Men’s Basketball X account. Abdur-Rahim, a married father of three, was 43 and widely considered one of college sports’ rising stars.

“Heartbreaking day today,” USF Board of Trustees Chairman Will Weatherford said on social media. “The death of coach Amir Abdur-Rahim is a shock for all of us. He was an incredible person and friend and I feel blessed to have known him. I will pray for his family and everyone who loved him so much.”

Abdur-Rahim was hired in March 2023 after orchestrating a stunning three-year turnaround at Kennesaw State. He essentially oversaw the same transformation in Tampa, fulfilling a vision he shared with athletic director Michael Kelly upon his arrival.

“I asked (Kelly), ‘Are you afraid of heights? Because one day you have to climb the ladder to cut these nets,” Abdur-Rahim said at his opening press conference.

Less than a year later, the Bulls had their breakthrough. USF, which had suffered four straight losing seasons, posted a 25-8 record last winter, won the American Athletic Conference regular-season title and earned its first Associated Press Top 25 ranking.

This story will be updated.

Contact Joey Knight at [email protected] . Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.

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