As UNLV prepares for its second-round NIT game at Tulsa on Sunday, first-year coach Josh Pastner is already thinking about the conversations that will follow the tournament. In the era of the transfer portal and NIL, those meetings are no longer just about player development.

“Sometimes, people can say, ‘Hey, this money and that money,’ but it might not end up being like that,” Pastner said. “Someone else can say, ‘We can offer you this,’ but it’s not reality. So when I meet with our guys, it’s about, ‘Here’s where we’re at and can we come to a meeting in the middle?’ Let’s see if we can make it work.”

The Rebels (18-15) earned a 75-72 road win over UC Irvine in the first round, showing the kind of energy and grit Pastner hopes will define the program. All of UNLV’s players chose to participate in the NIT, including leading scorer Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and freshman forward Tyrin Jones.

Jones has been a revelation, averaging 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and a team-high 68 blocks. His continued improvement has likely drawn attention from other programs. “I give everything to my coaches because I came in here as a little kid and they led me the right way,” Jones said. “I haven’t really thought about (the future). We’re still in the season. Just trying to win all the games we can and let God take over my future.”

Pastner is focused on establishing a culture of toughness and competition, regardless of which players return. “I’ve said it’s important to establish culture in Year 1,” he said. “It has taken some time. We didn’t just come in and snap our fingers. You have to have a fight and toughness about you. If you’re an elite competitor, you’re going to compete and play.”

The coach knows that roster stability is no longer guaranteed. After the NIT run ends, he will meet individually with each player to discuss their future. “Hopefully, after we’re fortunate enough to win the NIT, we’ll have decisions made by both parties,” Pastner said. “That’s just the new world we’re all in.”