New FSM Feature: UNLV Men's Basketball 2024 Season Preview and Lineup Projection - Bonus Team Notes

New FSM Feature: UNLV Men’s Basketball 2024 Season Preview and Lineup Projection

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The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels are poised for a promising 2024-25 season, building on the momentum of their recent NIT Tournament appearance. With a talented roster featuring returning stars like Dedan Thomas Jr. and key additions from the transfer portal, the Runnin’ Rebels aim to make a significant impact in the Mountain West Conference. Under the guidance of Coach Kevin Kruger, UNLV is determined to return to national prominence and contend for a coveted NCAA Tournament berth.

Usually, UNLV football is just something Rebel fans suffer through until the Runnin’ Rebels hit the hardwood for practice in October. Then it’s generally an impatient waiting game until the early part of November when the red carpet gets rolled out at the T&M for those first men’s basketball home games. The past couple of seasons have been very different, though. Rebel football is deservedly gobbling up not just local headlines, but this year in particular, head coach Barry Odom has UNLV at the epicenter of the college football universe.

Former UNLV quarterback Matt Sluka and his alleged pay-for-play antics had the likes of College Gameday talking about the Rebels. Still, their on-field performances have had them ranked in the top 25. Offensive coordinator Brenan Marion’s Go-Go Offense has the Rebels ranked in the top 4 in scoring nationally. If that all weren’t enough, the Rebels are firmly in the conversation for the College Football Playoff. 

Because of all this, UNLV basketball has been a bit of an afterthought. That is understandable, considering the new shiny toy Rebel football fans get to play with. Despite that, the Runnin’ Rebs are coming off their best season in over a decade after an NIT birth that saw them earn two postseason victories and enjoy a 20+ win campaign. What’s even more exciting is they’re returning elite point guard DJ Thomas, who is back as a sophomore. Kevin Kruger and his team deserve some notoriety of their own, and after watching them up close and personal since July, I’m all too happy to provide them some. 

Most national prognosticators have the Rebels ranked middle of the pack, and they were officially ranked 5th in the preseason Mountain West poll. 

Seeing as though UNLV has put together plenty of talented rosters over the years, only to disappoint, this is an unsurprising turn of events. Even with Thomas as a consensus First Team MWC Selection, it won’t change many minds in the media.

Neither will the fact that Kruger brought in the top transfer class in the league and arguably the best freshman class in the conference for this season, too. The Rebels will have to prove that they deserve to be deemed anything other than mediocre once the opening tip goes up on their season against Alabama State on November 4th. 

The biggest mistake most are making with UNLV is that they think DJ Thomas is the sum of its parts. Thomas is amazing, after all. Like with UNLV football, he’s so good that it’s easy for those around him to kind of fade into the background. When he should have been a senior in high school, Thomas instead was leading the Rebels in scoring and assists at 13.6 ppg and 5.1 apg. That led to him being named MWC Co-Freshman of the Year and a 2nd team all-league performer.

The stats, of course, are impressive, but Thomas looked poised and primed well beyond his young years while he was posting those numbers. 

Thomas also pulled off those feats listed at just 170 lbs (which was probably pretty generous if we’re being honest with ourselves). When you see him this year, his physical maturation is obvious. Over a year in a D1 nutrition program and weight lifting regimen has done wonders for him, but the natural growth his body went through just from being a year older has made a marked difference in not only strength but his athleticism as well.

There were videos posted this summer where Thomas was seen dunking with ease while his teammates good-naturedly teased him that he couldn’t. Couple the mental sharpness he displayed with regularity as such a young freshman (which is getting keener by the day, mind you) and his new bulked-up 185 lb frame, and DJ is more than ready for an even greater sophomore season.

Another reason I think UNLV is rated where they are is because of the Boone brothers’ absence.

It’s easy to look at a stat sheet and see their combined 24.1 ppg and 12 rpg have moved on. Keylan was Kruger’s only real deep threat on the team, and he also had a knack for hitting big shots, especially at the end of the season. Kalib, too, was an extremely reliable player, but as a low post-threat.

Out of necessity, UNLV had to play through him and slow it down big time on most possessions. The Rebels were 316th in terms of possessions per game and 169th when it came to the pace of play. Stylistically, it was a slog going through the post that way. And while I will never disparage the Boone’s because I do think they were integral for the Rebels getting back on track the way they did last season, I also think there’s some addition by subtraction to be had here. 

None of us will forget that Keylan dealt with eligibility issues. That led to roster uncertainty/fluctuation at a critical time in the early non-conference slate when the chemistry is still raw and being developed for most teams. UNLV dropped headscratchers to Southern and Loyola Marymount as a direct result of his being out. Then, at the end of the season, when the Rebels were surging at 10-2 down the stretch in MWC play, those early Quad 3 and 4 (in NET rankings, which the NCAAT selection committee swears by) losses took them firmly off the NCAA Tournament Bubble and into the NIT field despite nearly winning the league. 

Other contributors have had their eligibility expire or have transferred out. Defensive stalwart Luis Rodriguez whose effort, energy, and nearly 11 ppg and 1.5 steals per contest will be missed after his graduation. Justin Webster and his 3-point shooting were also nice to have off the bench. He, too, was a senior. Jackie Johnson and Shane Nowell transferred out after contributing here and there as well.

When you look at it that way, UNLV did lose quite a bit. 

Having just talked about addition by subtraction, it’s safe to say that’s the burgeoning theme of this article. The Boones were stars at UNLV, but Jailen Bedford and Jaden Henley will be too. 

The Rebels badly needed a star guard to pair with DJ Thomas, and they got one in Bedford.

At Oral Roberts, he put up impressive numbers last year. He scored 14.6 ppg and rebounded extraordinarily well with 6.4 rpg, all while shooting 37% from deep. Those are season averages anyone would be impressed with. It turns out Bedford is a gamer, though. When the lights shine brightest, his game ratches up a notch or two. At ORU, Bedford played against eight teams who were P4 or NCAAT teams last year. In those contests, he had averages of 16.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 48.6% shooting from downtown on 5.6 attempts per game. 

Bedford’s best games of the season came against Kansas State and Texas Tech, however. When he went up against the Wildcats, he scored 23 points and nine rebounds. He also went 5/7 from long range that night. Against the Red Raiders, he had a season-high 26 points to go with six rebounds. In that one, he went ballistic from downtown, shooting a blistering 6/8. I’m not great at math, but that’s a combined 13/15 (86%) against B12 competition. If you put a guard like that next to Thomas, you’re potentially looking at one of the best backcourts in the country. 

Watching Bedford up close, I see that he definitely passes the eye test. His jump shot is gorgeous and nearly automatic. When you see his athleticism, it’s no wonder he’s such a great rebounding guard. He’s thrown down a couple of eye-popping dunks in practice that, frankly, I didn’t know he had in him. But what surprised me most seeing him in person is how seriously he takes things on the defensive side of the ball. He’s a lockdown perimeter defender, which is what he is. Bedford reminds me of a Tarkanian guard. 

When I look at Henley, I see LuRod with an extra inch of height, longer arms, and more tools in his toolbox. The staff is enamored with him for obvious reasons. Like Rodriguez, the defense is there, and it’s the thing he does best. That, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s an astonishing slasher who does a lot of damage attacking the rim. His 3-point jumper was questioned coming out of DePaul (for good reason). Henley shot a meager 27% last season. Watching him shoot at Mendenhall, I see him being closer to the 38% he shot from deep as a freshman at Minnesota when he suits up for UNLV this year. 

At DePaul, the staff there overloaded Henley out of necessity. He was their best player, and he was relied on to be their primary scorer night in and night out. Over the final 11 games of conference play, he was averaging over 12 ppg, so he was capable. That being said, at UNLV, he won’t be tasked with all the heavy lifting against that brutal Big East schedule like he was at DePaul. For the Rebels, he can be a definitive 3rd or 4th option and flourish in that role without all the pressure. 

It seems that year after year, UNLV can never find a true big to man the middle for them.

It always seems like some poor 6’6 to 6’8 soul is out there playing out of position, giving up 3-5 inches of height and 20-35 lbs to the opposition and their frontcourt behemoths. Fortunately for the Rebels this season, they’re loaded at the 4 and 5 spots. 

The guy with the coolest name on the team is Bear Cherry. He’s also going to start at center. Coming out of New Mexico Junior College, Cherry was the number one overall center recruit at the JUCO level. He scored 11 ppg, brought down seven rpg, and protected the rim with 1.3 bpg. All in about 20 minutes of game action a night. Bear is 6’11, and at NMJC, he was probably around 300-305 lbs, if I had to guess.

When I spoke to him at Mendenhall Center, he told me he was in the best shape of his life, and it shows. He’s visibly slimmed down, his movement is spry, and he is rather bouncy. UNLV has him listed at 280 lbs, and that will allow him to play more minutes than he did last season. 

The good news is three other guys can play that five spot, and Kruger won’t see much of a dropoff, if any. Jacob Bannarbie will back Cherry up, but he’s good enough to start in his own right. Bannarbie moved around a bit before getting to college, so they had him do an academic redshirt last year. It turns out that was a blessing in disguise because Bannarbie used that year to hone some already impressive skills.

When I spoke to him after practice last week, he pointed out that he’s able to push the break after getting a rebound. He told me he dialed himself in on improving his perimeter game and getting acclimated to the speed of D1 last season. Now, when you see Bannarbie, he’s strong, agile, and has a super high IQ. 

I’m sure most of you are wondering about Isaiah Cottrell, and I can confirm that “Ice” will most assuredly be in the mix at center and as a stretch four for the Rebels. Cottrell has been an enigma during his career. He was highly coveted out of Gorman, but he never got it going at West Virginia due to injury. After transferring to UNLV, it was more of the same. This year, things appear different, though. Cottrell has been a sniper on corner threes during practices, and he runs and jumps effortlessly for a 6’10 player. Everything about him is fluid. I think Kruger will use a three-headed center monster approach, and Cottrell will be that third head. 

I did say three others, but Pape N’Diaye is the guy who will see the fewest minutes if you had to twist my arm about it. But it’s not because of him being behind the 8-ball or anything like that. It’s simply an experience factor, and the guys ahead of him are more seasoned at this point. Having said that, N’Diaye works his tail off and has amazingly good habits for a freshman.

He has excellent hands and is a force on the glass. When he catches the ball on the low block, he keeps the ball high and goes into his move/shot confidently. All in all, he’s a tremendous depth piece to have at 7 feet tall. 

It’s a testament to how good and deep this team is when I start talking about Rob Whaley and Jalen Hill this far into the article.

Whaley, after Thomas, was the guy Kruger needed to keep around the most because he is invaluable for so many reasons. Whaley is that role-player extraordinaire every coach drools over. He’s brutally strong, a gifted passer, a highlight-reel dunker, and he shoots 61% from the field.

What you also get from Whaley is that he is a guy who plays to his strengths. Sure, he could knock down his fair share of threes, but he doesn’t have any type of identity crisis to his game. Whaley knows what his team needs him to do in order to win. 

First and foremost, Jalen Hill is fully healthy coming into this season—no need to worry about that. Watching him run around Mendenhall Center is a joy because he does everything all out. Hill is hustle personified. Like Whaley, Hill is another one of those all-star role players. They do everything, and they do it all well. One thing I will say about Hill, above all, is that he has turned himself into a lights-out shooter. He barely misses from anywhere he decides to pull up from now.

A lot of guys can only shoot when they’re rehabbing, and you can tell he’s put in countless hours to that aspect of his game. As of the last practice I was at, he’s still not a full participant, but that’s merely precautionary. Come the season, Hill will be 110% good to go. 

Shooters, shooters everywhere so as not to worry about the streak. The guard play on this team is going to be ridiculous. I’ll say it right now, I think Brooklyn Hicks is a starter. Hicks was a big-time get-out of Seattle, where he was a scoring machine. But he was a machine that relied on his athletic ability and physical gifts pretty much exclusively. At the D1 level, there’s always a guy who can match your speed, jumping ability, etc. Because of that, I think Hicks’ adjustment period was a tough one.

The best thing about freshmen, though, is they become sophomores. Hicks is still a machine but a cerebral one who has learned and learned well. Everything has slowed down for him, and he’s become the team’s best on-ball defender by a pretty decent margin. His three-point shot is consistent, and he is set for a breakout season. 

The transfer portal was very kind to Kevin Kruger. Yes, Bedford and Henley were tremendous gets, but the portal also gave him Jace Whiting and Julian Rishwain. Depth and shooting are things UNLV rarely gets to enjoy, and even rarer still at the same time. Rishwain, aka Swishwain, doesn’t miss. He just doesn’t. The Florida transfer by way of San Francisco has Steph Curry range and Curry-like confidence when he lets it go. Ladies and gentlemen, your zone buster has arrived. 

Thomas ran the offense brilliantly a year ago, but he also played 35 mpg. Being young and undersized, that playing time took its toll. That’s why Whiting is at UNLV. He’s here to spell Thomas, give the super sophomore some much-needed breathers, and keep the team playing at a high level while that transpires. Whiting has shown himself to be very capable of doing that in practice. He’s heady, intense, scrappy, and can shoot the lights out. When he’s on the court, the Rebels will be in good hands. 

Last but never least, James Evans is one of the reasons the future is so bright at UNLV.

Evans is just a notch below Derrick Jones Jr as a leaper. He’s electric, to put it mildly. He also has a really solid 3-point shot, and his defensive instincts are high-level. If it were not for a whole lot of experience in front of him, Evans would play early and often. He’s that good. If Evans were here during the Menzies or Otzelberger eras, I’d even go so far as to say he’d be a starter on some of those teams. 

Based on what I’ve seen at practice and how Kruger runs his scrimmages, I think the starting lineup will be DJ Thomas, Jailen Bedford, Jaden Henley, Rob Whaley, and Bear Cherry. I could also see the team go with Thomas, Hicks, Bedford, Henley, and Cherry because he runs that lineup a lot too. Hill and Hicks are going to play a ton, even if they don’t start. Bannarbie, Whiting, Cottrell, and Rishwain will all be in the rotation. Evans and N’Diaye will be redshirt candidates but could easily fit into the rotation if injuries occur. 

I’ve said it over and over already, but this year’s UNLV Runnin’ Rebels are the best team this program had produced since 2012-13 when Dave Rice went to the NCAAT in his 2nd season as head coach. I’ll stress over and over that these current Rebels have to prove it on the court as well. No one is anointing them paper champs. But I will say they have all the pieces to return UNLV to the NCAA Tournament and make some noise while they’re there if they take care of business.

Stay tuned to all the UNLV Men’s Basketball and athletics news with FSM. Thank you for visiting FranchiseSportsMedia.com for your Las Vegas Sports news.

Franchise Sports Media. Las Vegas sports news about Las Vegas Sports teams.

– Jeff Waddilove – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Jeff on all social media: @JeffWaddilove

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