In front of family, friends and Kennesaw State administration and donors, newly hired men’s basketball head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim made his introductory appearance at the university on Friday, April 19, in the Convocation Center.
At the press conference, Abdur-Rahim laid out his vision for the present and future of the team. He was introduced by KSU Director of Athletics Milton Overton, whose hiring of Abdur-Rahim was the third coaching pickup of Overton’s tenure.
“[He] is a coach who has a proven ability to identify and develop great talent,” Overton said. “We’ve got someone here that cares about winning … but has [also] invested in the lives of student-athletes right here in Cobb County.
Entering his first career head coaching job, Abdur-Rahim will face the challenge of inheriting a team that won only three Atlantic Sun Conference games and a total of six last season.
Over the past few years, Abdur-Rahim has been an active member of the Cobb County community during the offseason by setting up basketball camps and clinics for underprivileged youth.
Not only does he have knowledge of the local recruiting scene, but he has also fostered local relationships that have allowed him to be a trusted name in the community.
Having attended Wheeler High School, Abdur-Rahim knows that Cobb County, and the Atlanta metropolitan area as a whole, has a deep trove of talent that remained largely untouched by the previous coaching staff.
Abdur-Rahim pledged to change KSU’s recruiting strategy immediately.
“To every recruit in the state of Georgia, I want you to know that you are our first priority,” Abdur-Rahim said. “We will not be outworked in this state. Our staff will be familiar with every player from here to Athens, to Savannah, to Augusta and back to metro Atlanta.”
As much of an emphasis Abdur-Rahim has put on the recruiting aspect of his job, he still believes that the current players on the KSU roster are the most important and immediate part of his job.
Instead of turning into many other first-year coaches who only focus on future recruits, thereby ignoring the roster on hand, Abdur-Rahim is taking a holistic approach to his coaching position.
“There will never be a day that you are cheated by me,” Abdur-Rahim said. “You will be driven every single day to be the best that you can be.”
In addition to his focus on current players, Abdur-Rahim established his approach to shaping his players into more than just basketball players. His experience in serving communities has shaped a multi-faceted mindset where hard work takes priority.
Abdur-Rahim strongly believes that the type of person he is developing is as important as the athlete he is coaching.
“We will invest in every player’s individual improvement on and off the court,” Abdur-Rahim said. “Before they can become pros [in basketball], they have to learn how to be pros in the community and in the classroom.”