UNLV Rebels Head Basketball Coach Josh Pastner's Goal Is To "Hear Our Name Called on Selection Sunday"

UNLV Rebels head basketball coach Josh Pastner talks about his vision for the team, playing in the Mountain West, and more.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Josh Pastner on the sideline against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This offseason, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team decided to move on from former head coach Kevin Kruger and sent shockwaves through the college basketball landscape when they managed to bring in Josh Pastner to replace him. Pastner immediately began rebuilding his roster from the ground up in hopes of bringing the program back to its glory days that he grew up with. Recently, he took to the Las Vegas Sun to talk about his vision for his team, building through the transfer portal, and playing in the Mountain West Conference.

Pastner On His Vision For The Runnin' Rebels

"Our vision is to build a team that reflects the identity of this city: tough, resilient and relentlessly hard-working. When you spend your money on a ticket or contribute to our student-athletes, you deserve to see a team that plays with gratitude and fire on every single possession. There will be nights the shots don’t fall, but there can never be an off-night when it comes to effort. You deserve to see a team that dives for every loose ball as if winning that single possession is more important than breathing. We will not be outworked. That is my promise to you, and that is how we will earn your support."

Pastner On Building Through The Transfer Portal

"To deliver on that promise, we hit the transfer portal hard with an emphasis on two factors: shooting and toughness. We sought out student-athletes from winning environments who understand what it takes to succeed. Now, our work is to mold these new pieces into a cohesive unit. Building that chemistry takes time, and there are no guarantees. Our guys know that every minute of playing time will be earned in practice, not given."

Pastner On Playing In The Mountain West

"We have tremendous respect for the Mountain West, which is a great basketball league full of talented players and excellent coaches. Our goal is to compete for conference championships and to hear our name called on Selection Sunday.

To get there, we must be the Runnin’ Rebels — not the Walking Rebels or the Slow-Down Rebels. But you can’t run if you don’t get stops. It all starts on defense. We will hang our hat on our defensive tenacity, because defense travels. We will create opportunities in transition and play a brand of basketball that is exciting to watch and honors this program’s legacy.."

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