UNLV Runnin’ Rebel Roster 2024 - 2025

[B_Lootz]

On 4/4/2024 at 11:24 AM, Rosegreen said:

Panic time, I think Houston is preparing to make a run at Dedan. 

If we lose DT, then you might as well let Kruger go, blow the whole thing up, and start from scratch. 

[machaqr]

Even as a UNLV fan, I’d be pretty excited for Dedan if he were to go to Houston. Would be fun to watch him succeed on a national championship caliber team.

[Rosegreen]

On 4/4/2024 at 3:20 PM, UNLV2001 said:

Valid point, if DJ wants a better team then move on - Go where the conference is better and the NIL pays bigly 

Saldy he wasted a season at UNLV when he could have gone for the big time right away 

What big time program was going to give him 30-35 minutes per game? 

What was wasted were the roster spots around Dedan. Half the team was checked out for half the games. I do not think this team was well constructed or coached.
 

I expect Whaley to bolt to one of the Utah schools the way things are going. 

[mundyc3]

I really hope this is just a case of people hearing Sampson's words and making assumptions. This is a program breaker otherwise. 

[UNLV2001]

On 4/4/2024 at 6:18 PM, Rosegreen said:

What big time program was going to give him 30-35 minutes per game? 

What was wasted were the roster spots around Dedan. Half the team was checked out for half the games. I do not think this team was well constructed or coached.
 

I expect Whaley to bolt to one of the Utah schools the way things are going. 

 

On 4/4/2024 at 7:14 PM, mundyc3 said:

I really hope this is just a case of people hearing Sampson's words and making assumptions. This is a program breaker otherwise. 

Either way.........Kruger or no Kruger, it's doubtful UNLV will get a coach that can make much of a difference because it's not so much about coaching / recruiting / facilities, it's about how much money does the NIL attached to that school can fork over to keep talent from being poached by any program with deeper pockets 

If the UNLV NIL is limited, what coach wants to step into a situation where any decent recruit you might land is subject to being poached .........literally impossible to build a program by HS recruitment & who knows who's coming or going on a yearly basis -- Can see why some seasoned coaches are retiring because with the combination of the transfer portal & NIL it's just a crap shoot on cobbling together a roster

All we probably know at this point is that Kruger is still the coach & who else might enter the portal and what scraps can Kruger convince to come in a scramble to assemble a roster for 24/25...........then repeat the process in 25/26 regardless of who the coach might be 

Used to be a coach with a recruit like Thomas could use that to build for a few seasons........now who knows 

if Thomas does depart, then that could trigger a mass exodus & leave UNLV starting from scratch roster wise 

 

[B_Lootz]

On 4/4/2024 at 10:18 PM, UNLV2001 said:

 

Either way.........Kruger or no Kruger, it's doubtful UNLV will get a coach that can make much of a difference because it's not so much about coaching / recruiting / facilities, it's about how much money does the NIL attached to that school can fork over to keep talent from being poached by any program with deeper pockets 

If the UNLV NIL is limited, what coach wants to step into a situation where any decent recruit you might land is subject to being poached .........literally impossible to build a program by HS recruitment & who knows who's coming or going on a yearly basis -- Can see why some seasoned coaches are retiring because with the combination of the transfer portal & NIL it's just a crap shoot on cobbling together a roster

All we probably know at this point is that Kruger is still the coach & who else might enter the portal and what scraps can Kruger convince to come in a scramble to assemble a roster for 24/25...........then repeat the process in 25/26 regardless of who the coach might be 

Used to be a coach with a recruit like Thomas could use that to build for a few seasons........now who knows 

if Thomas does depart, then that could trigger a mass exodus & leave UNLV starting from scratch roster wise 

 

Surely you didn’t come to this realization just now? Welcome to the land of the haves and the have-nots, but I expected Kruger and the collective to do everything they could to keep DT. That is their #1 priority this off-season, no question, and if they can’t do that then we need to stop wasting time with a Kruger at the helm. There’s no point to just wasting a season, other than we just don’t have the money to cough up for the buyout, when we already know he is incapable of assembling rosters that can come together to get to the NCAA tourney and win and there’s too much inconsistency with his coaching and his player’s preparation and effort. For every Creighton there’s a Southern or Air Force. We’re done.

[quickdraw]

Ok so to recap the first week since we finished our season: the #8 guy off of the bench has entered the portal and the program is dissolving into failure and chaos. Blow it all up, fire the staff, make payouts and start a new coaching search the 2nd week of April.
 

Got it.

[VincentVegaBond]

On 4/5/2024 at 8:30 AM, quickdraw said:

Ok so to recap the first week since we finished our season: the #8 guy off of the bench has entered the portal and the program is dissolving into failure and chaos. Blow it all up, fire the staff, make payouts and start a new coaching search the 2nd week of April.
 

Got it.

All the panicked talk is not about JJ3, it's about the rumors of DJ's inevitable departure.

As infuriating as it would be that's one thing that can't be blamed on KK, it'd be the product of the horrendously broken NIL system that is causing chaos in college sports.

The main reason I feel that women's basketball has been more popular than men's this year is not Kaitlyn Clark, it's the fact that most women's teams have rosters of players that have actually been on the team for more than 1 year.

Id be devestated if DJ leaves but DJ or not I'm still in the boat that Kruger should not be canned unless a clear upgrade replacement (ie well established coach) that is 100 percent done deal replaces him.

[Rebels18]

dedan is GONE  the basketball program is dead

 

we're a football school now

 

[quickdraw]

[RedheadRebel]

Would be a major bummer if true, but not entirely surprising.

I for one don't blame Kruger for this. College basketball has been ruined (hopefully only temporarily). Our boosters will either cough up the funds needed or they won't. Or maybe Dedan just wants a change of scenery, which happens.

I expect regular and routine full roster turnover until something is done to manage the NIL and transfer rules. It's the new landscape and it's ugly.

And yet I'll still be excited for game one come November.

[mundyc3]

Being born in 1991, all I have encountered is pain with this team. I don't think I can stand this if it is true. Might need to take a break from basketball for a while. 

[renoskier]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:22 AM, RedheadRebel said:

...I expect regular and routine full roster turnover until something is done to manage the NIL and transfer rules. It's the new landscape and it's ugly.

And yet I'll still be excited for game one come November.

It's not "ugly" for the players 

[RedheadRebel]

On 4/5/2024 at 12:34 PM, renoskier said:

It's not "ugly" for the players 

I agree with that...for now.

The problem with all of college sports right now is that many of the business moves (by athletes, coaches, school and conferences alike) are short sighted.

Everyone is looking for fast money. But let this landscape play out too long, and you'll lose interest from the broader fanbases (whose dollars make the whole thing go).

Then everyone is screwed. Reminds me of the AI phenomenon taking hold in corporate America. Layoffs seem great for an organization's bottom line until so many people are out of work they cannot afford to be customers any longer. Then the landscape the organization created ends up killing it too.

[RebelTexan]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:22 AM, RedheadRebel said:

Would be a major bummer if true, but not entirely surprising.

I for one don't blame Kruger for this. College basketball has been ruined (hopefully only temporarily). Our boosters will either cough up the funds needed or they won't. Or maybe Dedan just wants a change of scenery, which happens.

I expect regular and routine full roster turnover until something is done to manage the NIL and transfer rules. It's the new landscape and it's ugly.

And yet I'll still be excited for game one come November.

Gotta hope there is a plan B for PG, and a revamp of the roster through the portal.  Still need defensive/scoring wings and ball-handling guards to round out the roster.  The expectation should still be NCAA for CKK and staff for year 4, which is a fair expectation for a first-time HC.

[Rebels18]

Cut Kruger loose

 

We can curse the world and the changing landscape but if CSU, unr, SDSU, unm, etc can muster continuity then why can't we?

DTJ doesn't want to play for Kruger anymore.

Neither did Gilbert. Neither did Hall.

 

I wouldn't want to play for the goof either

[Rosegreen]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:01 AM, VincentVegaBond said:

All the panicked talk is not about JJ3, it's about the rumors of DJ's inevitable departure.

As infuriating as it would be that's one thing that can't be blamed on KK, it'd be the product of the horrendously broken NIL system that is causing chaos in college sports.

The main reason I feel that women's basketball has been more popular than men's this year is not Kaitlyn Clark, it's the fact that most women's teams have rosters of players that have actually been on the team for more than 1 year.

Id be devestated if DJ leaves but DJ or not I'm still in the boat that Kruger should not be canned unless a clear upgrade replacement (ie well established coach) that is 100 percent done deal replaces him.

CKK doesn’t have much leeway anymore, the evidence is there on what kind of coach he is.  He had one season with a top point guard and blew it. We were supposed to win 25 games, make a run in the ncaa tournament etc. The team fell short of expectations. Some of the metrics of this team was horrible. Ranked in the 200s in tempo, rebounding, shooting percentage etc. 

We know now that the roster was not conducive to running an offense that Dedan could absolutely thrive in, he should have gotten double doubles every night. There wasn’t any seriousness to the season, guys getting dui’s, didn’t have a good reason for keylans transfer, players checked out of games/half assing it, players bouncing on the team prior to their first postseason game. There was zero cohesion with this squad. 
 

Everyone keeps focusing on NIL and blaming the system and not looking at the product that was on the floor this past season. They just got blown out by Seton Hall, who should have been in the dance. Dedan was gassed from carrying this team in the conference tournament vs a s16 squad.
 

It just illustrates how much farther away from the dance we really were. Dedan is smart enough to know it’s time to go to a serious program with a serious coach. 

[renoskier]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:45 AM, RedheadRebel said:

I agree with that...for now.

The problem with all of college sports right now is that many of the business moves (by athletes, coaches, school and conferences alike) are short sighted.

 

I suppose that could happen but I don't really don't know why it would.

Overall, college athletics does well on many levels. Although I never attended Nevada, I'll still go to games regardless of whatever level they are competing at. It's about entertainment, discretionary time and money, if you enjoy football, basketball, or any other sports, are you suddenly not going to enjoy them any more?

Maybe I'm wrong but I'm not ready to join the "sky is falling" crowd. 

[UNLV2001]

On 4/5/2024 at 7:54 AM, B_Lootz said:

Surely you didn’t come to this realization just now? Welcome to the land of the haves and the have-nots, but I expected Kruger and the collective to do everything they could to keep DT. That is their #1 priority this off-season, no question, and if they can’t do that then we need to stop wasting time with a Kruger at the helm. There’s no point to just wasting a season, other than we just don’t have the money to cough up for the buyout, when we already know he is incapable of assembling rosters that can come together to get to the NCAA tourney and win and there’s too much inconsistency with his coaching and his player’s preparation and effort. For every Creighton there’s a Southern or Air Force. We’re done.

You can't be this naive to think that simply ousting KK for another guy will change the reality that UNLV is a middling mid major with a limited NIL 

You just said the UNLV NIL is the issue then turn around and scream about a coaching change -- Really? What coach is going to step into a program where the NIL is slim pickings ?!?! 

[UNLV2001]

On 4/5/2024 at 9:34 AM, renoskier said:

It's not "ugly" for the players 

True........so why not grab the $$ and put your services out to bid each year ?!?! 

Good for the players that can make big money.............sucks for programs that will churn thru players every years in the hopes that one season of a cobbled together roster pays dividends (See USU 2024)