South Florida and Kennesaw State men’s basketball teams honored the late coach Amir Abdur-Rahim in the inaugural “Love Wins Classic” on Nov. 16 at VyStar Arena in Kennesaw, Georgia.
The event, set to tip off at 2 p.m. and broadcast on ESPN+, celebrated the life and legacy of Abdur-Rahim, who significantly impacted both programs before his death before the 2024-25 season.
Abdur-Rahim’s tenure at Kennesaw State was marked by a dramatic turnaround, leading the Owls from a one-win season to a 26-8 record and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023.
After his success at Kennesaw State, Abdur-Rahim took the head coaching position at South Florida, where he guided the Bulls to their first American Athletic Conference regular season championship.
The “Love Wins Classic” will continue next year, with South Florida hosting the event in Tampa.
“What Coach Amir was about was pouring into people and loving people and through that had success,” his brother Shareef Abdur-Rahim said. He said the coach was “a great example of you can do it the right way.”
During the event, Kennesaw State will hold a halftime recognition to celebrate Abdur-Rahim’s contributions and the inspirational message he shared through basketball.
South Florida will also debut special “Love Wins Classic’ jerseys, with previews available on their social media platforms.
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