Report: UNLV Finalizing Deal to Hire Former Georgia Tech Head Coach Josh Pastner

Pastner was the head coach of the Yellow Jackets from 2016-2023 and led the program to an ACC Tournament Title

Feb 18, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Josh Pastner on the sideline against the Florida Tech Panthers in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After being a studio analyst for the past two seasons, former Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner is heading out West for his next coaching job. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Pastner is finalizing a deal to be the next head coach at UNLV.

Sources: UNLV is finalizing a deal to hire veteran college basketball coach Josh Pastner as the school's next head coach, per me and @jeffborzello.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 25, 2025

Pastner served as the Yellow Jackets head coach from 2016-2023, compiling a 109-114 record.

During his first season in Atlanta (2016-2017), Pastner was the ACC Coach of the Year after guiding the Yellow Jackets to a 21-16 record (8-10). Tech was picked to finish last in the conference, but Pastner guided them to a solid first season. Tech finished as the NIT runner-up.

Over the next two seasons, Pastner went 13-19 and 14-18 but did improve to 17-14 during the 2019-2020 season, but that season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It looked as if the breakthrough was coming during Pastner's next season. The Yellow Jackets won the ACC Tournament for the first time since 1993, Moses Wright was named the ACC Player of the Year, and Jose Alvarado was the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year. This program seemed to be on the upswing, but things went downhill after Wright and Alvarado left. Pastner was fired after the 2022-2023 season and Georgia Tech hired Damon Stoudamire. Stoudamire is 31-35 in two seasons as the head coach of the Yellow Jackets.

Before he was head coach on The Flats, Pastner was the head coach at Memphis, finishing with a 167-73 record and getting the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament four times in seven seasons

Will Pastner be able to find success at UNLV? The Rebels have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2012-2013, but they are making good hires in all athletics and there seems to be a willingness to want to win and compete for a spot in the Tournament. That is an important part of success in today's college athletics and if Pastner has the support, he might be able to get things turned around.

Additional Links

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