UNLV Runnin' Rebels Head Coach Josh Pastner Talks About The Changing College Basketball Landscape

UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball coach Josh Pastner discusses the ever-changing NCAA basketball landscape.

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

Since the new UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's head basketball coach, Josh Pastner, last coached, a lot has changed. There are now NIL deals, which have drastically changed finances and recruiting in college basketball, and there is a new Pac-12. With so much change, Pastner took the time to talk about it this offseason. This is what he had to say about all the changes to the game since he last coached at Georgia Tech.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels Head Basketball Coach Josh Pastner On The New College Basketball Landscape

“When I took over Memphis and Georgia Tech, you already kind of had your team. It wasn’t (about) the portal at those times. You really didn’t go fundraise," Pastner said. "You had to go out and see the different high school coaches, AAU coaches.

I had to get a whole new team (at UNLV). I didn’t go around seeing high school guys and high school coaches. I had to go around my first couple weeks on the job and raise money. In the past, you kind of had a fundraising area within the athletic department. Now, the head coach probably is more of a fundraiser than actually a coach, but that’s the reality of where the world is right now in college athletics."

Pastner On Potential Issues With NIL Deals

“It’s still in the early process. The question becomes if somebody gets denied on one of those (NIL deals), do they sue? I’m not a legal expert on that. I don’t know. But could that hold up in a court of law, (with somebody) saying you can’t deny me, if somebody’s born in the United States of America?”

Pastner On The New Pac-12

“It’s weird to even to say there’s a new Pac coming around. I look at the Pac-10 as when there was Arizona, UCLA, USC, up and down the coast. What’s interesting is (conference) records — like how does that work? It’s just not the same, but that’s because I was there for so long. That all being said, college sports is evolving and ever changing, literally, in real time. So who knows? Could Arizona be back in the Pac at one time, or could UNLV go to the Big 12? Could Arizona be in the ACC? Stanford and Cal’s in the ACC. I mean ...”

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