Cal Basketball Coaching Search: Jaylen Brown Gives Endorsement to Amir Abdur-Rahim

The Celtics star reportedly shared his support in a conversation with Cal AD Jim Knowlton.

Jeff Faraudo | Mar 22, 2023

Cal athletic director Jim Knowlton, in his search for a new basketball coach, reportedly sought out the thoughts of ex-Golden Bear Jaylen Brown, and the Boston Celtics star threw his support behind Amir Abdur-Rahim.

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, who also happens to be a Cal grad, tweeted that Brown told him after Tuesday night’s game at Sacramento that he talked with Knowlton about the situation.

“Jaylen Brown said he spoke with Cal AD Jim Knowlton about the school’s coaching opening and offered his thoughts, including an endorsement for Kennesaw State coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who has drawn interest,” Washburn tweeted late Tuesday night. “Brown said he’s happy to be included in the process.”

It’s unclear whether Knowlton spoke with Brown in person in Sacramento or by phone.

Brown, who played the 2015-16 season at Cal before becoming the No. 2 pick of the Celtics in the 2016 draft, currently is the only ex-Golden Bear playing in the NBA.

Brown also is a native of the Atlanta area, where Adbur-Rahim and his older brother and ex-Cal star, Shareef, grew up. All three attended the same high school, Wheeler High of nearby Marietta, GA.

Amir Abdur-Rahim, 42, is the only known candidate to have interviewed with Cal, although other named floated as possibilities include Joe Pasternack of UC Santa Barbara and Tim Miles of San Jose State.

-- Ex-Cal assistant coach Billy Kennedy offers his support of Abdur-Rahim --

Abdur-Rahim was confirmed as having conducted a Zoom interview with Knowlton by veteran NBA national reporter Marc J. Spears.

Abdur-Rahim just completed his fourth season as head coach at Kennesaw State, which he led to the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. The 14th-seeded Owls lost 72-67 to No. 3 seed Xavier but finished the season with a school-record 26 wins, doubling their total of the year before.

Cover photo of Jaylen Brown by Cary Edmondson, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

Published Mar 22, 2023

JEFF FARAUDO

Jeff Faraudo was a sports writer for Bay Area daily newspapers since he was 17 years old, and was the Oakland Tribune's Cal beat writer for 24 years. He covered eight Final Fours, four NBA Finals and four Summer Olympics.