Pastner’s transfer bonanza gives UNLV a boost in Mountain West rankings

After spending the offseason rebuilding their roster UNLV and coach Josh Pastner have some positive news to reflect upon. It has been a significant season of many changes for the UNLV Basketball program.

They lost some crucial parts to their team in the transfer portal and hired a new coach in Josh Pastner.

It’s an understatement to say that the UNLV program has been underachieving in recent years and has been a shell of what they were in their glory days, new coach Josh Pastner brings hope of potential resurgence.

Nevada SportsNet recently released their post-NBA draft withdrawal deadline Offseason Mountain West basketball power rankings, the top-tier talent that has been recruited earned them a no. 4 preseason ranking in the Mountain West power rankings and had this to say:

“UNLV moves up a spot from our last rankings with one of the best mid-major transfer classes. This is a complete rebuild as the Rebels return only 33 of their 2,285 points from last season under first-year coach Josh Pastner, who lost six to seven starting-level players, including star Dedan Thomas, Jr. (LSU). Pastner needs to nail the transfer class. Some of the top additions include Illinois’ Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (5.9 ppg), Louisiana Tech’s Al Green (10.2 ppg), Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s Howard Fleming Jr. (12.3 ppg), UC Irvine’s Myles Che (12.1 ppg), High Point’s Kimani Hamilton (13.1 ppg), Iowa’s Ladji Dembélé (4.5 ppg), Alabama’s Naas Cunningham and Arizona’s Emmanuel Stephen. This ceiling is high if they gel.”