UNLV went 18-17 overall and 11-9 in the Mountain West in 2025-26, then reached the NIT second round. The spring brought the usual roster churn, so head coach Josh Pastner attacked the portal early and often.
By May 21, the Rebels have six incoming transfer additions for 2026-27 and two key returners already committed to run it back. Now UNLV has added a second lane to the plan, too, landing two 2026 high school commitments who raise the program’s recruiting profile.
The anchors still hold
UNLV’s biggest stabilizers did not come from outside.
Forward Tyrin Jones and guard Issac Williamson have both committed to return for 2026-27. Jones gives UNLV rim protection and a nightly defensive floor. Williamson gives UNLV a shooter defenses have to respect.
Keeping both matters because it lets UNLV add pieces with purpose instead of scrambling for a full reset.
Sticky fingers, easy points
Dontrez Williams arrives from Lindenwood with a stat line that fits UNLV’s preferred personality.
The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.2 points and 5.1 rebounds last season and ranked eighth nationally at 2.6 steals per game. That is instant fuel for a team that wants to speed opponents up and turn defense into transition offense.
Williams also gives UNLV size in the backcourt and another downhill creator who can live in the paint.
The big-body fix
UNLV needed frontcourt size and added it with Jeremy Foumena.
Foumena is a 6-foot-11, 250-pound center transferring from UCF after stops at Mississippi State and Rhode Island. He played 26 games last season and shot 54.8% from the field, giving UNLV a true interior body who can finish around the rim and help absorb the league’s physical nights.
Second chances, first priority
MJ Thomas brings rebounding production that travels.
The 6-foot-8 forward transfers in from New Orleans after averaging 10.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He posted seven double-doubles and grabbed as many as 19 rebounds in a game, adding a high-motor profile that can stabilize the glass when games tighten.
A wing with miles on it
Tyler Harris gives UNLV another long wing option with high-major experience.
The 6-foot-7 forward transfers from Vanderbilt after playing 30 games last season and averaging 5.5 points and 2.3 rebounds. For UNLV, that is another body that can run, guard and stay playable when the Mountain West turns into a weekly matchup hunt.
Point guard, with receipts
Terrance Ford Jr. adds a proven distributor’s resume.
The 6-foot-1 guard transfers in after spending last season at Tulsa. He did not play in 2025-26 because of injury, but in 2024-25 at Arkansas State he averaged 9.0 points and 4.9 assists while shooting 40.4% from 3. If healthy, that is a clean fit for a UNLV team that wants pace without sloppy possessions.
Fresh legs for a faster gear
Cam Miles is another speed piece for the backcourt.
The 6-foot-2 guard transfers from Florida State after playing 25 games as a freshman and averaging 5.4 points and 1.7 assists. UNLV’s guard room needed more live dribble and more rim pressure. Miles adds another option to push tempo.
Now recruiting wins: Suttle and Kiss join the 2026 class
UNLV’s spring haul is not only portal math. It is also a recruiting flex.
Kota Suttle Jr., a 6-foot-3 combo guard in the 2026 class, announced his commitment to UNLV. He played his senior season at Southern California Academy after transferring from Wheeler High in Marietta, Georgia.
A day earlier, four-star forward Jackson Kiss of New Zealand flipped his commitment from Iowa State to UNLV. For UNLV, getting a flip like that is more than a single pledge. It is a message that Las Vegas can win high-end recruiting battles while also working the portal.
What it says about UNLV’s plan
This is not a one-player replacement build. It is a layered one.
UNLV kept key returners, added a steals-forward guard, added size and rebounding, and added more perimeter options for 2026-27. Then it backed it up with two 2026 commitments that point beyond next season.
Pastner’s first year ended with postseason basketball. Year 2 is being built to be tougher, deeper and harder to play against, and the future class is starting to take shape early.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
