The reset is real. After a complete overhaul of the roster, Josh Pastner and his new staff are actively piecing together the next era of Runnin’ Rebel basketball. And they’re doing it with intent.
From high-major bounce backs to JUCO standouts and All-Conference mid-major names, UNLV is targeting a wide range of prospects in the portal.
Below is a breakdown of publicly known transfer targets—what they bring, and how they fit the blueprint Pastner is trying to build in Las Vegas.
GUARDS
Ryan Forrest (North Carolina A&T) – 19.1 PPGFearless shot creator who can get downhill and score in bunches. Forrest fits the mold of the type of scoring guard Pastner loves—dynamic, quick, and aggressive in space.
AC Bryant (Alabama A&M) – 14.0 PPGPhysical, productive, and reliable. Started at Marion Military. Brings toughness and an edge that Pastner’s teams thrive on. Could fill a vital glue-guy role in the backcourt.
Chris Dockery (Independence CC) – 16.9 PPGLas Vegas native. Explosive and confident. Dockery is a potential fan favorite with the bounce and swagger to thrive under the Runnin’ Rebels brand. High-upside JUCO target.
Sebastian Mack (UCLA) – Las Vegas nativeFormer 4-star and one of the most sought-after guards in the portal. Mack would be a program-changing addition—and his local roots only make the fit sweeter. Pastner’s guard development history is a selling point.
Kanaan Carlyle (Indiana) – Former 5-starElectric scorer with elite upside. Still raw, but Pastner’s track record with developing dynamic guards (Alvarado, Okogie) makes this a real opportunity for Carlyle to grow into a star.
Mier Panoam (North Dakota) – 13.0 PPG, 5.8 REBStrong, versatile, and efficient. Panoam rebounds like a wing and plays with physicality—an ideal rotation guard who can do the dirty work.
Tarence Guinyard (UT Martin) – 16.3 PPGAll-OVC First Team. Smart, polished combo guard with playmaking and scoring ability. A system fit for any program—UNLV included.
Jelani McGregor (JUCO – Moraine Valley) – 16.2 PPGKnockdown shooter with solid size and a smooth release. Would immediately upgrade UNLV’s perimeter shooting—something the Rebels sorely lacked last year.
Koren Johnson (Louisville) – 11.1 PPGCrafty guard with shiftiness and feel. Not afraid to attack, but still developing as a decision-maker. Could be a solid rotational piece with upside.
Amarion Dickerson (Robert Morris)Length, athleticism, and shooting touch. Versatile defender and slasher. Exactly the kind of piece that rounds out a roster.
FORWARDS / WINGS
Shelton Williams-Dryden (West Georgia) – 17.6 PPG, 7.5 REBD2 standout with the physical profile of a D1 forward. Rebounds, finishes strong, and plays with toughness. Would bring instant depth and energy to the wing/forward rotation.
Jerry Deng (Florida State) – 6'9", 38% from 3Stretch 4 with serious length and athleticism. When locked in, he looks like a high-major starter. If Pastner can get consistency out of him, Deng could be a game-changer.
Corey Washington (Wichita State)Plays with force. A beast on the boards and a nightmare matchup physically. Could be the emotional leader this team needs.
Emmanuel Stephen (Arizona)6’10” big with rim protection potential. Offensively limited, but could serve as a true defensive anchor if developed. Pastner loves long, athletic bigs who can defend.
Justin Bailey (Wofford)Smooth scorer and crafty wing. Can play the 2 or 3, and has a skill set that translates to a variety of systems. Could be a sneaky impactful pickup.
Emondrek Erkins-Ford (Eastern Florida State)6’9” JUCO forward. Physical and developing. Pastner has thrived with under-the-radar JUCO bigs who bought in. Erkins-Ford has tools to be the next.
Elijah Price (Fresno State) – 10.5 PPG, 8.3 REBSkilled, polished, and ready. If UNLV wants a big who can play now, Price is that. Rebounds, finishes, and has a reliable mid-range touch.
What Pastner Is Building
Josh Pastner wants toughness. He wants smart, multi-positional defenders. He wants rim pressure and defensive effort. And he’s not afraid to build with JUCOs, mid-majors, and reclamation projects if they fit.
This portal list shows the priorities:
Guards who can create, not just manage.
Wings who can guard 2–4 and hit open threes.
Bigs who protect the rim or stretch the floor.
Recruits who are tough, coachable, and hungry.
As we exit the NCAA’s recruiting dead period (April 10), expect portal activity to ramp up—especially with visits. The next two weeks could shape the 2025-26 roster entirely.
Stay locked in.
This is how the rebuild begins.
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