On Monday afternoon, the Providence College men’s basketball team added a third commitment through the transfer portal, and this one has some serious NBA pedigree.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim pledged to the Friars through his social media accounts. He is the son of Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a former California collegiate star and 12-year professional veteran who now serves as the G League’s president. Abdur-Rahim began his career at Virginia in 2020-21 before transferring to Georgia for his final three seasons.
In 2023-24, he started 27 of 29 games for the Bulldogs, averaging 12.2 points and shooting 88.7% from the foul line, ranking in the top 35 nationally. Abdur-Rahim netted nine points on 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range in a 71-64 loss to the Friars in November, the consolation matchup in a neutral-court event at Baha Mar.
Abdur-Rahim is a career 35.4% shooter from the perimeter and offers Providence some length at 6-foot-8. He profiles as a veteran replacement for Ticket Gaines, who spent a graduate year with the Friars last season after leaving George Mason. Providence figured to need some experienced depth on the wing with Rich Barron entering his sophomore season and signee Ryan Mela about to debut as an incoming freshman.
Abdur-Rahim has dressed for an NCAA Tournament game in his career, a 62-58 loss to Ohio while with the Cavaliers. He missed Georgia’s matchup with eventual NIT champion Seton Hall last month after suffering an ankle injury in early March. Abdur-Rahim didn’t appear in any of his last eight games with the Bulldogs after posting double figures in three of the previous five.
Abdur-Rahim has threads in common with multiple members of the Friars staff. Providence assistant coach Dennis Felton was Georgia’s head coach from 2003-09 and led the Bulldogs to an SEC Tournament title in 2008. Friars assistant coach Tim Fuller was the previous director of recruiting for Overtime Elite, an Atlanta-based feeder system that sends prospects to the NBA, G League and overseas professional and college ranks.
Abdur-Rahim was a consensus top-50 national prospect and the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey for the 2018-19 season. He had offers from UCLA, Michigan, Texas, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Villanova, Marquette, Illinois, Maryland, Arizona, Kansas, Michigan State, Connecticut and more before selecting Virginia. Abdur-Rahim played in just eight games with the Cavaliers, still healing from a foot injury suffered late in his prep days at Blair Academy.
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