UNLV men’s basketball coach Josh Pastner attempted to clear up comments he made during an interview last week, in which he said the team is seeking an “owner” to boost the program’s finances.
“I have told people, why buy the NBA team? Buy the college basketball team. You can be the owner of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels men’s basketball team,” Pastner told Las Vegas television station KTNV. “And it’s a lot less expensive.”
Pastner went on to say he’s seeking a backer to invest $10 million to $12 million in the program, assuring the hypothetical person they’d get a “great tax write-off, and can be as involved, and can tell everyone you’re an owner.” He went on to say his team is struggling to compete with offers from top programs in the evolving name, image and likeness era.
“If you have a $12 million check, you can compete against Kentucky, Duke, Arizona, UCLA for any player you want,” Pastner said. “Right now, if another school offers someone $1 million and our budget only allows us $100,000, it doesn’t matter how much the kid likes me.”
“Sell” @TheRunninRebels?
With several groups pursuing an NBA team in Las Vegas, Josh Pastner has a different idea:
“Why buy the NBA team? Buy the college basketball team.”
The UNLV head coach tells me he’s looking for a $10-12 million backer to become the “owner” of the… pic.twitter.com/MohABmJtX7
— Taylor Rocha (@TaylorRochaTV) July 23, 2026
In a statement posted Monday on UNLV basketball’s X page, Pastner said he did not mean the comments literally. The money is welcome, however.
“The Runnin’ Rebels are not for sale, and my reference to an ‘owner’ was meant to highlight the level of resources, sponsorships, and overall support needed to compete in today’s evolving college athletics landscape — not to suggest anyone could own the program,” Pastner said.
“It is an honor to serve as head coach of the Runnin’ Rebels. This program belongs to UNLV, its students, alumni, fans, and the Southern Nevada community and always will.”
pic.twitter.com/0g7LddUwrG
— UNLV Men’s Basketball (@TheRunninRebels) July 27, 2026
Pastner, a former ESPN analyst, led UNLV to an 18-17 record in his first season and tied for seventh in the Mountain West Conference at 11-9. The 48-year-old previously served as an assistant to Lute Olson at Arizona and to John Calipari at Memphis, whom he replaced in 2009. He took over as coach at Georgia Tech in 2016 before departing Atlanta in 2023 with a 109-114 record.
UNLV athletic director Erick Harper told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in April the program expects to have an NIL/revenue-sharing budget of $10.75 million for the 2026-27 season. That’s compared with 2025-26’s $7.5 million budget and the program’s $1.2 million budget for 2024-25. College Sports Commission estimates put the NCAA’s revenue-sharing cap around $21.3 million for the coming season.
