TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — USF Athletic Director Michael Kelly spoke with the media about the tragic passing of USF Men’s Basketball head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim.
He passed away at age 43 last week due to complications from a medical procedure.
Associate Head Coach Ben Fletcher, who was on Abdur-Rahim’s staff at Kennesaw State, has been named the interim head coach and will lead the Bulls this season.
The two even played against each other in college and were best friends.
“I was looking back through some of our text messages and the one thing he would always tell me, even being at Kennesaw, he would always, say ‘Man, you are ready.’ God is preparing you for this and soon you’re gonna get your opportunity,” said Fletcher.
Fletcher has spent 19 years in coaching and was a huge part of USF’s historic season last year, winning a conference championship and making it to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.
But as Abdur-Rahim and Fletcher would say: “No record is going to tell you what impact you have on people around you,”
“What he left me with was special,” said Fletcher.