Joey Johnston

Athletics Senior Writer –gousfbulls.com your source for all things USF

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After USF men’s basketball victories this season at the Yuengling Center, Bulls forward Kobe Knox said his mind sometimes wandered. Knox looked wistfully to the end-zone seats when the SoFlo Rodeo student section was in full celebration mode, and the Rumble Pep Band played a particular song.

“I knew he wasn’t going to be there, but I looked over there anyway,” Knox said. “That spot was where he climbed into the seats so he could dance with the students. I’d feel sad that he was not there, but the memory of what we had and what he brought to us made me so happy at the same time. Still, it’s hard for me to comprehend what has happened.”

Even on the busiest days at the Muma Center, when he was knee-deep in scouting reports and film study, assistant coach Griffin McHone often stared at the nameplate on the adjoining sealed-off office.

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Amir Abdur-Rahim
Head Coach
Men’s Basketball

“It’s not like you can just forget … but you don’t want to forget,” McHone said. “You try to honor him with your effort and habits because that’s what he was about. Everywhere you go in our building, there are photos and reminders. The feelings will stick with you forever.”

During the rough moments, guard Kasen Jennings openly questioned his faith. He wondered why his 43-year-old coach — a devoted husband, a father of three, a man so full of life — was taken away when he seemingly had so much more to give.

“I have my dark days, and I have my good days,” Jennings said. “It still makes zero sense. But I know when God calls you, you just got to go. The thought of Coach Amir being at peace that’s what settles me. That’s what I’m leaning on. And I know for a fact that Coach would say we’ve got to keep moving forward.”

For USF men’s basketball, in an incredibly emotional season, moving forward means heading to the American Athletic Conference Tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. That’s where the No. 9-seeded Bulls (13-18, 6-12) will face the No. 8 Wichita State Shockers (18-13, 8-10) in Thursday afternoon’s opener. It’s win or go home. The Bulls must win four games in four days to reach the NCAA Tournament.

It’s a stark contrast to last year when Abdur-Rahim’s Bulls soared into AAC play with a No. 1 seed after a magic ride that included a 15-game winning streak, the program’s first national ranking, and the cutting down of nets following the AAC regular-season championship.

Abdur-Rahim’s USF debut year, following a similar resurrection at Kennesaw State, was supposed to be just the start. In truth, though, nothing about this season would ever be easy.

“Adversity is a word that’s tossed around a lot in basketball,” said forward Quincy Ademokoya. “They talk about missing shots, going through injuries, not playing well at the end of games, or the ball just not bouncing your way. For sure, our team has seen plenty of adversity.

“But none of it compares to what happened on October 24.”

Season Of Hardship

Abdur-Rahim’s tragic death, just 11 days before the season began, sent shock waves through USF’s program, the entire university, the Tampa Bay community, and college basketball as a whole. Abdur-Rahim’s chief assistant, Ben Fletcher, was elevated to interim head coach. While dealing with his own grief, Fletcher said his priorities have been clear.

“The first thing I always think about — and it continually breaks my heart — is how Amir constantly talked about not getting carried away with his career to the point where he wasn’t there for his three kids,” Fletcher said. “He was very intent on being a good father. His intentions were so good.

“I could wallow in all of that, but I know Amir would’ve wanted me to keep things going. So, you must change your mindset, clear your head, and be there for these players daily. You keep getting them better. You’re there as a sounding board for them. Last season was absolutely great, but we knew there would be new challenges. That was going to be the case whether Amir was here or not.”

The transfer portal claimed USF’s three leading scorers — Chris Youngblood (Alabama), Kasean Pryor (Louisville), and Selton Miguel (Maryland).

Non-conference scheduling was frustrating. No one — literally no one — was eager to take on USF’s revitalized program and its rabid student section. So, the Bulls, with their power ranking in mind, signed up for five notable opponents away from Tampa. Against Florida, the College of Charleston, Middle Tennessee, Loyola-Chicago, and Utah State combined for a 117-38 mark during the regular season, and USF lost them all.

With an exhibition scrimmage being canceled and the entire team attending memorial services in Atlanta and Tampa, the start of the season was disjointed. At times, things clicked. More often, they did not.

Following a 77-69 home loss against Bethune-Cookman—when Fletcher presided over an emotional team meeting where no punches were pulled—the Bulls went on a four-game winning streak. It was punctuated by a resounding 91-72 road victory against Wichita State on Jan. 6. The Bulls never trailed, building an 18-point lead in the first half and shooting 62.9 percent in the second half. It was a display of how good the team could become.

But after a 100-91 double-overtime home victory against Temple — on a night when the AAC saluted Abdur-Rahim posthumously as its honorary Coach of the Year — the Bulls have lost seven of their last eight games. The win was a riveting 78-72 victory at UTSA when the Bulls rallied from a 20-point deficit with 9:04 remaining.

Down the stretch, USF’s inside play was hampered by the loss of DeAnte Green, a Florida State transfer who suffered a season-ending injury on Jan. 28.

Still, there’s hope.

“The thing about March Madness is you get to turn the page on your season, and you can make big things happen,” forward Brandon Stroud said. “The thing nobody can take away from this team is we have championship DNA. Nobody has gone through what we’ve gone through. I have to believe we have an inner strength that is going to be there for us.”

Moving Forward

It has been a season unlike any other, featuring a brotherhood that could be sustained for years.

“More than anything, we have each other,” Knox said.

However, in the short term, the Bulls have fallen short of projections (they were No. 3 in the AAC preseason poll).

“We were never sneaking up on anybody this year,” Fletcher said. “When you do what we did last season when you get crowned as the conference champion, a certain level of respect comes with that. So, our guys had the responsibility of knowing that everybody was coming for us every single night. We need every scrap of toughness or resilience we can get.”

Point guard Jayden Reid said this season has been like a “deja vu experience.” As a Long Island Lutheran High School freshman, Reid’s team was ranked in the top 10 nationally and defeated Los Angeles Sierra Canyon (featuring Bronny James). Heading into his sophomore season, Reid’s AAU teammate and best friend, Jomani “Jo-Jo” Wright, was killed in a car accident.

“He would’ve been big-time, probably headed to the NBA,” Reid said. “We grew up together and stayed at each other’s house all the time. I feel like I’ve had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. As a USF freshman, having a top-25 ranking and a championship was amazing. Then another person who I love dearly (Abdur-Rahim) passed away. I wouldn’t wish these things on anybody. It doesn’t get worse than losing people you love.

“Listen, Coach Amir got on me all the time. There were times I left the gym when I kind of hated him. But it was all designed to make me better. He taught me so many lessons. Never give up. When the hard times hit, it’s all about how you respond. So even though he’s gone, what he taught me will never leave.”

Assistant coach Desmond Oliver said his biggest takeaways from the season are the life lessons learned by USF players.

“The trauma and sadness come out at times,” Oliver said. “It’s hard to imagine what these young guys have gone through. I know they probably look in the mirror, and they are disappointed (with this season’s record). But this is the one if there were ever (mitigating) circumstances to a season.

“Coach Amir was a star, a Hall of Famer in the making. He was hungry and self-motivated. He had an aura that is difficult to describe. In one year, he built a legacy that will last forever at USF. We’re working as hard as we can to honor that legacy.”

Knox said he would always remember the conversations with Abdur-Rahim, who was also a middle child with an older brother who played in the NBA.

“Coach Amir said he could be overlooked at times as the middle child, but he always said he never overlooked me,” Knox said. “He had confidence in me. That still sticks with me today. He’s still with me.”

He’s still with everyone.

At each game, USF keeps a seat open for Abdur-Rahim on the bench, usually with a seat cover that features his signature line: “To God Be The Glory.” And in the end zone, it’s now called the “Amir Abdur-Rahim Student Section.”

“I constantly feel his spirit,” Jennings said.

Stroud has occasionally assisted Abdur-Rahim’s widow, Ari, and taken the kids to school. Once, while play-wrestling with the young son, Aydin, he was taken by the child’s resemblance to the father. Putting a smile on Aydin’s face was meaningful.

“I’m not sure if Aydin really knows who I am, but I just want to be his friend,” Stroud said. “I bought Girl Scout cookies from the girls (Laila and Lana). I called them my ‘besties’ and we made a video together. If I can impact those kids positively in any way, I will do it. Coach Amir always taught us to make an impact by serving others.”

Can the Bulls make an impact at the AAC Tournament after an emotion-filled season? Regardless of the results, the season has been a triumph of resilience, admirable perseverance, and determination.

“Coach Amir set the standard that USF is a winning program,” Jennings said. “We’ve set a standard for ourselves, and we’ve definitely come up short in some games. Some days, we’ve been fighting a lot of pain. Now we get a second chance.”

“Some people are so special, you don’t think they have an expiration date,” Ademokoya said. “I still struggle with the loss of Coach Amir. He always believed in us. Let’s give it everything we have. I still believe this team can play with anyone. Let’s get on a run. Let’s do it for Coach Amir.”

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About USF Men’s Basketball
The University of South Florida men’s basketball, led by interim head coach Ben Fletcher, is a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls enter their 2024-25 campaign, presented by Tampa General Hospital, on the heels of their best season in program history, in which they claimed their first-ever regular season conference title, won a record 25 games, and earned a Top 25 ranking for the first time in program history. A presence on the college basketball scene for more than five decades, South Florida has earned two conference titles and three NCAA tournament bids (1990, 1992, and 2012), appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational. 

South Florida is wearing patches with the initials AAR this season in memory of their head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away in October 2024.

The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center, located on South Florida’s Tampa campus.