UNLV Rebels Head Basketball Coach Josh Pastner: 'This Is My Dream Job'

This offseason, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team made a huge splash in the Mountain West Conference when they fired former head coach Kevin Kruger and lured Josh Pastner away from his TV studio job to take over the program. The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coach hit the ground running as soon as he took over the job.

Pastner has often talked about the history of the Rebels program and what it means to him, as well as his desire to build community amongst the UNLV faithful. Recently, he took to the Las Vegas Sun to speak about what this job, program, and the City of Las Vegas mean to him.

Pastner On Landing The UNLV Runnin' Rebels Job

"Every morning, I pinch myself. When I was first able to put on a polo with that iconic UNLV logo, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I’m the head coach of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. This is my dream job.

For me, like for so many of you, the legend of this program is deeply personal. Growing up, I watched coach Jerry Tarkanian and the legendary teams of the ’80s and ’90s. They were the coolest of the cool. The level they were winning at — a stretch of winning 88% of their games — is surreal in any sport. Later, as a player and assistant coach at a rival, the University of Arizona, I saw firsthand what made this job so special. The rivalry between coach Lute Olson and Tarkanian was fierce because they were the best of the best, and their programs were absolute juggernauts."

Pastner On His Connection With The City Of Las Vegas

"My connection to this city runs deep. For 30 years, I’ve been coming to Las Vegas for grassroots basketball. My father ran tournaments here. I played in them, some right here on the UNLV campus. I’ve coached in them and recruited from them. Through it all, I’ve always said this program is a sleeping giant. Now, I’m humbled and honored to be sitting in this chair.

Since my arrival in March, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the incredible people of Las Vegas and the fiercely loyal Runnin’ Rebels faithful. I want to be perfectly clear: This program is your program. This team is your team. This is Las Vegas’ team."