If fate had been a bit kinder, USF interim basketball coach Ben Fletcher might have had the chance to take a deep breath.
Had his circumstances changed in late May instead of late October, he could have stepped back from basketball to properly grieve, support his players, and carefully plan for the program’s future.
However, tragedy is unforgiving, abruptly disrupting seasons, stability, and cherished moments. Former Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim—who was not only Fletcher’s supervisor but also a close friend and adviser—passed away unexpectedly on October 24, just as the 2024-25 season was about to begin.
“The timing was the most difficult part for me,” Fletcher stated on Monday. “This occurred just two days before we were set to scrimmage against Miami. Now, we’re just under a week away from our exhibition game against Edward Waters on October 30. If you told me today, ‘Fletch, you’re the head coach this upcoming year,’ there are several things I would want to accomplish to prepare myself.”
Fletcher didn’t have the opportunity to prepare or even fully process the situation. Just two days after Abdur-Rahim’s celebration-of-life service at the Yuengling Center, the Bulls kicked off their season against Florida, their toughest opponent.
Amidst this turmoil, chaos, and grief, Fletcher has guided USF to 13 victories. Despite losing their coach and the top three scorers from last season’s American Athletic Conference championship team, the program has remained largely competitive throughout the winter.
“They buried Abdur-Rahim and then had to play a game two days later,” said former Bulls point guard and assistant Tommy Tonelli.
“I can’t even fathom the emotional rollercoaster he had to navigate, not just as an individual but in trying to manage the other coaches, staff, and players both as a team and individually. It’s an almost impossible situation. And they’re hovering around .500, right? Just slightly below or above?”
Specifically, they sit at 13-18, with three losses by just one possession. With a couple of lucky breaks, the Bulls might have entered this week’s AAC tournament with a winning record.
However, those breaks have eluded this program for months. Alongside the tragedy and player transfers, 6-foot-9 veteran D’Ante Green is still sidelined due to injury, and 6-8 senior Corey Walker Jr. was removed from the roster following a midseason suspension.
Considering all these factors, those who have invested the most effort into the program, like former players, believe that neither John Calipari, John Thompson, nor John Wooden could have managed the Bulls any better than Fletcher, who served as an assistant to Abdur-Rahim for over five years.
“They performed really well in the first year, but they also lost three starters. No one really highlights that,” remarked Bulls legend Charlie Bradley, who is the program’s all-time leading scorer.
“They lost three key starters, in addition to losing Abdur-Rahim, which was the worst blow to the program. I try to imagine being in that situation, and I genuinely think he’s done a better job than anyone else stepping in could have.”
Yet for all practical intents, Fletcher’s tenure likely ends with his next defeat. While the 44-year-old Troy University alumnus undoubtedly will be among those considered for the job, athletic director Michael Kelly is expected to conduct a national search for Abdur-Rahim’s permanent replacement, owing that to his constituents and university.
All well and good. Just grade Fletcher on a gracious curve, longtime observers say.
“The effort has been great considering the weight of rebuilding with an almost completely new team,” said former Bulls great Tony Grier, replaced by Bradley as USF’s career scoring king.
Tonelli, who spent two different stints as a Bulls assistant after his playing career ended, suggests giving Fletcher one more season, just to see how he performs in a presumably far more stable setting.
“Not that it wasn’t his team, but it wasn’t his team,” Tonelli said. “I mean, he recruited them, but those guys came to USF with the intention of playing for Coach Amir as the head coach. … I came to USF to play for Lee Rose. I didn’t come to play for an assistant coach, I came to play for Lee Rose, you know what I mean?
“So what I’m saying is, I just think you’ve got to give him one year to do it with guys that he put together, and they’re coming there knowing that he’s the head coach, and seeing what he can do to get the guys that he wants to have.”
Probably a pipe dream. Which still beats the nightmares Fletcher has been forced to navigate the last five months.
“I know for me personally, you’re with somebody for six years, it doesn’t just take a couple of months to push that to the side,” Fletcher said.
“There are things that happen daily that spark memories, both good and bad. It’s just one of those deals, but I know I have to be that guy for those (players) to make sure they have an example, and that’s all I’ve wanted to do this year — be the example for those guys on showing up every day, no matter how you feel.”
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