Josh Pastner is reportedly headed to UNLV for another go at coaching.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Pete Thamel reported Monday night that the university is “finalizing” a deal to hire the 47-year-old Pastner.
It’s a nice addition for UNLV. Pastner posted a 276-187 record in stops at Memphis and Georgia Tech before parting ways with the Yellow Jackets in 2023. Yet Pastner has maintained a high profile in the sport, serving as an analyst for the ACC Network, NBC Sports on Peacock, CBS Sports Network, and The Field Of 68.
Pastner told Awful Announcing’s Michael Grant in 2024 that he didn’t know what his future held.
“I love coaching, but I’ve loved doing (announcing),” Pastner said. “I’ve had a great time doing the television. I was at two high-level schools, and we had success at both of them. I don’t know what kind of opportunities there will be moving forward. I’ve tried to do the best I can to take it day by day, to try to get better at television. I think I’ve improved. I’ve been fortunate to be around good people on different networks, good colleagues, good hosts, and good producers who have helped me from all across the different networks.”
Pastner told the Arizona Daily Star in a 2023 interview he got offers right away to get back into coaching but wanted to take time off to “recenter” himself.
“I had some chances to get back in as a head coach right away, and I elected not to,” Pastner said. “I wanted to take a year and really recenter, and I was excited about trying to do television.”
While Pastner ventures off to Las Vegas, he’ll be missed as a broadcaster. While he could break down the Xs and Os, he didn’t take himself too seriously, as he showed in this exchange on the ACC Network with former North Carolina star Armando Bacot.
“Josh Pastner here. I’ve had the privilege to coach against you for the past four years. You’ve had double-doubles against me everytime. That’s why I’m sitting here asking you a question instead of coaching against you.” 💀
— The Tar Heel Story (@tarheelstory) January 25, 2024
