It doesn’t matter that Josh Pastner’s playing career ended years before every athlete he coaches on UNLV’s basketball roster was born — he can accurately recount every detail of his senior night as if no time has passed.

As the Rebels’ first-year coach relived the memory of a 78-76 win over Cal in March 2000 that marked his final regular-season game for Arizona, it served as an example of just how much the college sports landscape has changed.

“I remember after the game I was tearing up because it was my blood, sweat and tears for those four years there,” Pastner said after Monday’s practice. “I was sad that it was ending. I felt like that was the time of my life.”

With Tuesday’s matchup against Utah State at Thomas & Mack Center serving as the Rebels’ senior night, Pastner noted that the NCAA transfer portal is just one of the factors that has led to the milestone losing the emotional sentiment it once had.

UNLV will honor first-year Rebels Kimani Hamilton, Al Green, Howie Fleming Jr. and Walter Brown before tipoff — a list that Pastner couldn’t rattle off without assistance.

“I don’t even know who’s a senior anymore, right? Because, heck, they could get a lawyer to get an injunction,” Pastner said. “It’s a crazy deal.”

Pastner was referencing the case that sent shock waves through the college sports world in mid-January, when former Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako sued the NCAA for denying his request to return to college and play for the Crimson Tide after he signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs.

Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order that made it possible for him to play five games for Alabama until a judge formally denied Bediako’s request Feb. 9. He appealed the ruling, which was denied the next day.

UNLV has a pro on its roster in Brown, who played for the Canterbury Rams of the National Basketball League of New Zealand for five years before joining the team as Pastner’s final recruit of the offseason.

“Even though it’s his first year of college, he’s a senior,” Pastner said.

As Pastner delivered his comments, UNLV legend Stacey Augmon walked by.

Augmon was a star on the 1990 NCAA championship team and two Final Four teams. He finished his career as the school’s third all-time leading scorer.

Pastner, who hired Augmon as director of community engagement, joked that he wants the former Rebel to get a lawyer and return to the court, leading Augmon to say that he refuses to play defense ever again.

Still, Pastner referenced Augmon to make a point.

“I had all the same teammates for those four years,” Pastner said. “And I know that Coach Stacey Augmon goes back here to UNLV as his home. When you’re moving to a lot of spots, what’s your school you go to, that you can kind of grasp on to in that family way?”

Fleming might be the best example of the portal at work. He began his college career at Illinois State and played there for two years, played one season at Winthrop and attended Texas-Rio Grande Valley before landing at UNLV.

Hamilton transferred to UNLV from High Point, while Green made stops at San Diego City College and Louisiana Tech University.

It’s not surprising that Pastner’s roster is entirely new in his first year, but what does stand out is the reality that the case might be the same next year.

He mentioned that retention isn’t as simple as just asking players to come back. Players have agents and lucrative NIL deals to consider — all of which can take away from the more personal experience Pastner once knew.

“The college experience has maybe missed out on a little bit of that,” he said. “It’s way different.”

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Callie__Fin on X.

Up next

Who: Utah State at UNLV

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Thomas & Mack Center

TV: CBSSN

Radio: KWWN (1100 AM, 100.9 FM

Line: Utah State -8½; total 157½