Courtesy of USF.
By Jorden Pompey
Anticipation for the upcoming USF men’s basketball season is ramping up with a new roster and a new head coach in Amir Abdur-Rahim.
Former Kenesaw State University head coach will be serving his first year at USF after coming off a historic season at KSU. Abdur-Rahim led the Owls to a record 26-9 season to win their conference for an automatic bid to their first NCAA Tournament.
“We have a power five job. We have power five resources, I want to treat this opportunity every day as it should be and it is a privilege to be a head coach here, there is not going to be a day where someone is cheated,” Abdur-Rahim said.
Abdur-Rahim brought over three players from KSU in senior guards Kasen Jennings, Chris Youngblood and Brandon Stroud. They are being asked to be leaders on the team as they transition into a new environment here in Tampa.
Senior guard Selton Miguel and junior forwards Corey Walker Jr. and Sam Hines Jr. earned their spots to return to the team for this season. Abdur-Rahim believes they have had the hardest transition over the summer. He has kept his eyes on these players over the years as he recruited Walker out of high school and wanted to get him in shape over the summer.
“…he’s walking around right now, like you think he was on the cover of GQ. He feels good about himself,” Abdur-Rahim said.
Miguel was challenged to become a better influence for his teammates and being a good player to positively impact the game. Hines’ connection to Abdur-Rahim was being recruited in high school, which was Abdur-Rahim’s alma mater at Wheeler High School in Atlanta Georgia.
Coming off an underwhelming 14-18 season and losing to East Carolina in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Abdur-Rahim looks to progress towards perfection with the team that he has built.
“…with the stuff that we do have in, I want to be good at. I want to be good at it actually when we do open up against Edward Waters and then continue to get better from there,” Abdur-Rahim said.
The Bulls will have an exhibition game against Edward Waters University on Nov. 2 at the Yuengling Center. The season will officially open against South Carolina State at the Yuengling Center on Nov. 9.
