Graney: Can Josh Pastner Revive UNLV Men's Basketball Glory?

Lindy La Rocque has been acquainted with Josh Pastner for much of her life. This includes when she was a young girl practicing with a basketball in various AAU venues across Las Vegas and during times when her dad was working at mines in Arizona.

She has been familiar with the high-energy, always-on-the-go Pastner and understands what drives him.

Is well-versed in the intensity of devotion.

What you see is what you get," stated La Rocque, the coach of UNLV’s women’s basketball team. "This authenticity is genuine and real. He will likely annoy some folks, but that’s exactly what our program requires. His persona commands investment. Whether he’s interacting with a donor, a supporter, a child, or an athlete prospect, he aims to connect with everybody.

His squad will develop a distinct character. The software itself will also acquire a distinctive character. This overall persona ought to generate enthusiasm among everyone.

Standing and cheering

Pastner emerged victorious in the news conference as expected. He uttered all the appropriate remarks just as one would anticipate. Everyone stood up, cheered, and hung onto his every word during his speech. launched at the Strip View Pavilion located within the Thomas & Mack Center On Wednesday. There was no doubt about that happening. He possesses this kind of impact on people around him.

Here comes the challenging part.

In reality demonstrating his capability to develop a software program.

It has changed significantly. This transformation started several years ago and continues today. The role of UNLV basketball isn't what it used to be anymore, nor does it hold the prestige it once did. Missing out on the NCAA Tournament since 2013 contributes greatly to this decline. The team fails to capture the attention of your typical college sports follower nowadays. Essentially, everything revolves around its storied history with little focus on current events.

The question remains: Can Pastner retrieve it again?

Is he able to make the program pertinent?

Is he capable of reigniting enthusiasm among a disinterested fanbase?

A great deal of effort will be required. Many have attempted this over several years but haven’t succeeded.

You could endlessly discuss involving the community, reintegrating past players, and making it feel like everybody's team. However, none of these efforts count for much unless the performance on the court delivers. No matter how many people you involve or stories you tell, if you cannot secure talented enough players and shape them into a victorious squad, all your talks will be meaningless.

Pastner hasn't coached for several years now and feels this break enhanced his skills. It gave him time to analyze different programs and their methods. He also had the chance to observe numerous games and discuss player transfers as well as name, image, and likeness prospects with others.

To understand his successes from past coaching roles at Memphis and Georgia Tech, and identify areas for improvement now at UNLV.

I am fully aware of what this position and program entail," Pastner stated. "I comprehend what it will require to turn things around, and it won’t be simple. However, our aim is to secure victories right away.

I'm committed to elevating our engine performance and increasing both our vigor and excellence levels here. I will never settle for less than the highest standards. My aim is to bring everyone up to my level of expectation and achieve our goals swiftly.

Keeping up

The level of intensity isn't something you'll have to worry about. This guy has more vigor than your average toddler. At 47 years old, he claims he feels like he's only 27. He also mentioned that he believes this is the peak physical condition of his entire life. His message was clear: the players will need to match his high-energy pace. And honestly, based on what he says, it sounds entirely plausible.

However, everything has changed. It used to be about pursuing a talented youngster for three to four years just to see them move away after graduating from high school. Now you're up against agents representing players who are already in college. These athletes may sign with whoever offers the most money. This means your entire roster could look entirely different every single year. The landscape is unrecognizably altered.

UNLV has also changed significantly. It’s not the same program anymore. The job isn’t the same either. On Wednesday, Josh Pastner said all the appropriate things. He had people rising to their feet and applauding. As expected, he delivered exactly what everyone hoped for.

The difficult task now lies before us: altering how the current state of affairs is described.

Those golden times have not been within reach for quite a while now.

Reviving this begins with me," Pastner stated. "It’s up to me to establish the tone for our daily operations. We must move beyond mere discussion; it needs emphasis, reinforcement, and most importantly, action. So, how do we restore the program to what everyone envisions?

We're going to discover soon.

Ed Graney, who has received theSigma Delta Chi Awardfor his work in sports columns, can be contacted at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on "The Press Box," ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, broadcasting from 7 to 10 a.m., Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.

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