Cinderella is dead for good in the NCAA Tournament. She might not last until the second week of March Madness again. She’s the victim of name, image and likeness dollars.
Which brings us to Josh Pastner and UNLV.
He might be a good coach. He might be a bad one. The jury remains out. But his reputation as a tireless recruiter will only take the Rebels so far.
The transfer portal and NIL dollars go hand-in-hand. You can dip into the former when searching for the next great point guard or big man, but if you don’t have enough cash available in the latter, good luck landing those special players in 2025.
It’s the reality of college athletics and one Pastner must deal with in his new position.
The drought continues
Everyone loves a winner, which UNLV basketball hasn’t been consistently enough in some time. The NCAA Tournament drought continues. The Rebels last went dancing in 2013.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that over the last few years, NIL contributions to basketball have softened. UNLV’s collective shelled out $1 million to players last year. The average Power Four program has between $8 million to $10 million to do so.
Some have much, much more.
The goal for UNLV basketball next season is $3 million, which means Pastner’s reputation of having a personality larger than Thomas & Mack Center better be on display from the opening tip.
He needs to shake more hands than a politician. And that’s really what coaches are now when promoting their programs.
Apathy set in for UNLV basketball long ago. Look at the (non) crowds for home games. People are tired of seasons ending with the school going unmentioned on Selection Sunday. Most don’t feel a need to contribute until things change for the better.
And you can’t blame them.
They watch as specific Mountain West teams annually or every few years make the NCAAs — the Utah States and Colorado States of the world — and wonder why it can’t occur in Las Vegas.
That’s a narrative Pastner must change.
“The price of what it costs to build a football or basketball team has gone up precipitously,” said Bill Paulos, president of UNILV, the school’s collective. “With the hiring of coach Pastner, who by every measure is a great recruiter, he’ll need financial backing from us as a collective and the university’s profit sharing to field the team we want him to have.”
Then Pastner needs to win. Kevin Kruger was fired after this past season because his team went four years without an NCAA appearance.
Pastner doesn’t have a choice. He needs to deliver results if he expects fans to return invigorated.
After all, they have a successful football program to cheer for now.
The school’s collective is spending north of $3 million on football, which shows you what winning does around UNLV. It’s a number that keeps growing. People want to be part of things in that sport now. Not so much in basketball.
Winning matters
Will the hiring of Pastner change that?
Nobody knows yet. But he’s a fresh face with new ideas and a whole lot of charisma. Which won’t get him very far if the results on a scoreboard don’t get better.
Look at the teams in the Sweet 16. Not a Cinderella amongst them. This isn’t to suggest UNLV in a good year would be assigned such a label, but it does paint a picture of where the game is now and in the future.
Money talks and the best players are getting a lion’s share of it. If you want to compete, you have to pay.
I’m certain Pastner knows this. Certain he understands the landscape. But just in case, he should be shaking lots of hands and kissing lots of babies.
And winning. Nothing will draw support more than that.
It’s really all that matters.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.
