Josh Pastner, hired in March 2025 on a five-year, $4.8 million deal, is wasting no time reshaping UNLV basketball. With five NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenures at Memphis and Georgia Tech, Pastner is leveraging his experience and the transfer portal to rebuild a program that has been absent since March Madness in 2013.
His first portal class appears to feature a balanced mix of talent aimed at shoring up both the backcourt and frontcourt. Headlining the group is sharpshooter Myles Che, part of a strategic push for a swift turnaround and a return to national prominence under Pastner’s ambitious direction.
Myles Che Leads the Charge in Josh Pastner’s First UNLV Class
Pastner’s debut transfer class at UNLV is anchored by guard Myles Che, whose commitment on April 24, 2025, marked a major recruiting success. Pastner’s class is taking up a formidable shape with Myles Che at the helm.
Myles Che
The 6’2″ junior, transferring from UC Irvine, chose the Rebels over offers from Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss (Las Vegas Sun), a testament to both Pastner’s recruiting appeal and the program’s resurgence.
Che started all 38 games in the 2024-25 season, averaging 12.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 43% from beyond the arc. His standout moment came March 6 against UC Davis, where he posted 31 points on 10-of-11 shooting, including 3-for-3 from three.
Kimani Hamilton
Hamilton, a 6’7″ forward from High Point, arrives at UNLV with a strong résumé. A former top-100 recruit and Mississippi State signee, Hamilton transferred after limited time in Starkville and became a star at High Point.
He earned back-to-back first-team all-Big South honors and averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 boards in 2024-25. Hamilton’s efficient 52% shooting and 2.2 assists per game make him a versatile frontcourt piece.
Emmanuel Stephen
The 7-foot center transfers from Arizona, where injuries and inexperience limited his minutes. Still, Stephen’s value lies in his defensive tools—rim protection, rebounding, and shot-blocking—key assets for a Rebels team looking to improve interior defense. Pastner emphasized Stephen’s ability to create transition opportunities with his defensive play.
Naas Cunningham
At 6’7″, Cunningham joins from Alabama and brings significant upside. Injuries and illness hampered a top-100 recruit out of high school, his time in Tuscaloosa. Still, Alabama coach Nate Oats praised his NBA-level ability when healthy, and his two-way potential fills another need in UNLV’s frontcourt rebuild.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Al Green, and Howie Fleming Jr.
Gibbs-Lawhorn, a 6’1″ sophomore, comes from Illinois after averaging 5.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in 2024-25. He also brings Elite Eight experience from the Illini’s 2024 tournament run.
KEEP READING: 2025 Men’s College Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
Al Green, a 6’3″ junior from Louisiana Tech, adds scoring with a 10.2-point average and 42% three-point clip (Review Journal). Fleming, a 6-foot-5 senior, posted 12.4 points and 4.6 assists at Texas-Rio Grande Valley (Review Journal), contributing size and playmaking.
While the talent is evident, building chemistry remains crucial. Losing players like Dedan Thomas Jr. to the portal adds urgency to establishing cohesion. Pastner also noted that enhancing the program’s NIL infrastructure will be key to long-term roster stability.
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