Freshman Jabri Abdur-Rahim seeking his own legacy
Freshman Jabri Abdur-Rahim, the son of former NBA star forward and Cal Bear Sharif Abdur-Rahim, has seen his stock go national as he broadens his overall skill set.
Boasting offers from Texas A&M and Rutgers, Abdur-Rahim was labeled as one of the best of the Class of 2020 before stepping foot onto a high school playing floor. Not only has he backed up such sentiments this winter but he has shown even more upside than what was originally foreseen with the smooth wing.
Abdur-Rahim is immediately recognized because of his last name, something that he has not shied away from.
“Every time I go somewhere, the crowd is involved but I like it. It is kind of fun,” he said. “I actually want to be better than him. I want people to, when they hear my last name, think of me first.”
While there is a challenge of playing against others three or four years older than him, Abdur-Rahim has become the face of the Seton Hall Prep program while gathering in a boatload of interest. Virginia, Rutgers, Cal, UConn, Villanova, Stanford, Tulane, Seton Hall and Texas A&M are actively recruiting him.
Abdur-Rahim’s father starred at Cal and his uncle is currently on staff at Texas A&M, giving those two programs a leg up. The Aggies were the first to offer Abdur-Rahim.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Abdur-Rahim has visited UConn, Texas A&M and Cal in recent months, and Rutgers has already offered a scholarship. Here are his thoughts on each program.
UConn: “When I went down there a couple of weeks ago, I really enjoyed it. I liked the campus and what they were talking about. I watched guys similar to my size and I liked what they were doing with them.”
Texas A&M: “I like them since my uncle coaches down there. I have been down there a couple of times. I like everything about them. It is pretty cool.”
Cal: “They were in to see me a little while ago. I would love to go back there some time in my life, even if it wasn’t for college. I loved living out there. It would be nice to create my own legacy, but it would also be pretty cool to follow back in my dad’s footsteps.”
Rutgers: “I like Rutgers. I like Coach (Steve) Pikiell and their whole staff. They have been in a couple of times. I like what they have to talk about.”
WHAT'S NEXT
Abdur-Rahim has already shown he’s one of the best players in the 2020 class. He will take his show on the road this summer, running with the PSA Cardinals program on the Nike EYBL circuit. Before the travel circuit heats up, visits could be taken to several of the local programs nearby.
RIVALS REACTION
Expect Texas A&M, thanks to his uncle’s help, and California, if an offer were to be disbursed, to become the potential landing spots for the super talented freshman wing. However, the recruiting process is just beginning for Abdur-Rahim, a 6-foot-6 swingman that reminds us of a younger Joe Johnson and is in play to receive offers from some of the best programs nationally in the coming years.
