Josh Pastner is poised to become the new head coach for UNLV's men's basketball team, sources close to the situation revealed. The former Georgia Tech and Memphis coach has reportedly agreed to helm the program, attempting to revive the once-dominant Rebels, who've seen better days in the NCAA landscape.
UNLV, desperate for a return to former glory, not having reached the NCAA Tournament since 2013 and the Sweet 16 since way back in 2007, tapped Pastner to be the catalyst for change. In his new purported five-year contract, according to ESPN, the commitment signifies a significant investment in Pastner's vision for the team. Kevin Kruger, the previous coach, was dismissed on March 15 after a record of 76-55 over four seasons and a failure to launch the team into NCAA Tournament play.
Pastner's track record presents a mixed bag. With Georgia Tech, Pastner went 109-114 from 2016 to 2023, including a dry spell in the last two seasons, The Associated Press reports. However, he did steer them to an ACC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2021, securing ACC Coach of the Year honors in 2017 after a 21-16 season finish.
Despite his recent stumbles, Pastner's tenure at Memphis tells a story of success, boasting an impressive 167-73 record between 2009-2016, Peppered with four NCAA Tournament appearances, three Conference USA Tournament championships, and two regular-season titles. His basketball career, consuming his life since teenhood, started with a scouting service at age 13 and coaching by age 16, eventually playing on Arizona's 1997 national championship team and climbing the ranks from graduate assistant to his first head coaching gig when John Calipari departed Memphis for Kentucky.
