Erick Harper is on the clock for another home run hire after firing UNLV men’s basketball coach Kevin Kruger on Saturday.
This will be the fourth-year athletic director’s first basketball hire, but his track record indicates the process will be quick.
It took him just four days to land new football coach Dan Mullen after Barry Odom left the program to take the helm at Purdue in December. Odom proved to be a stellar selection after Harper’s 10-day process to hire him in 2022 following the dismissal of Marcus Arroyo.
This time around, Harper is tasked with finding a coach to lead the Rebels out of their 12-year NCAA Tournament drought.
Here are some names UNLV could consider:
Carlin Hartman, Florida associate head coach
Hartman, 52, is in his third season with the Gators and has more than 25 years of experience at the collegiate level, with multiple ties to the Rebels.
He spent one season on Kruger’s staff as an assistant coach in 2021-22 after working the previous five seasons at Oklahoma under Lon Kruger, Kevin’s father. The program made the NCAA Tournament in each of Hartman’s last three full seasons with the Sooners.
Florida is ranked No. 4 in the nation this season and is playing in the SEC tournament final Sunday. The Gators returned to the NCAA Tournament last season after a two-year absence.
Hartman is rumored to have a friendship with Harper, and he is also close with UNLV leading scorer Dedan Thomas Jr. and the point guard’s family. Hartman’s son, Joseph, grew close with Thomas’ younger brother when they played under Hartman in the Las Vegas basketball scene.
Hartman also attempted to recruit Thomas to Florida.
Eric Olen, UC San Diego coach
At 44, Olen is an attractive younger candidate making history in his current post.
UC San Diego transitioned to Division I basketball just five years ago and clinched the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth when the Tritons won the Big West tournament Saturday at Lee’s Family Forum.
Olen has spent his entire coaching career at UC San Diego, with nine years as an assistant before taking over as head coach in 2013.
Porter Moser, Oklahoma coach
If Moser, 56, gets fired after his fourth season with the Sooners, he could certainly be a candidate to take over at UNLV.
Oklahoma (20-13) is on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and rumors about Moser’s job status started to circulate after the Sooners went 6-12 in the SEC after going 13-0 in nonconference play.
He has not led Oklahoma to the NCAA Tournament nor finished .500 or better in conference play in his tenure.
However, Moser was one of the most sought-after coaches in the country after leading Loyola Chicago to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed in 2018 (tied for the lowest seed to advance that far).
He left for Oklahoma after leading the Ramblers back to the Sweet 16 in 2021.
Craig Smith, former Utah coach
Smith, 52, was fired last month during his fourth season after the Utes fell to 15-12.
He had a 65-62 record at Utah and had failed to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Utes went 22-15 and reached the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament last season.
Smith would be another candidate UNLV would need to judge based on a previous stop. Smith went to Utah after going 72-24 in three seasons with Utah State with two NCAA Tournament trips. The Aggies were likely headed to the NCAAs in the other season, but it was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Josh Pastner, former Georgia Tech coach
Pastner, 47, is working as a TV studio analyst, but he has expressed a desire to return to coaching after being fired by Georgia Tech in 2023.
UNLV could consider him as a similar hire to Mullen, who was working in TV after being let go by Florida.
Pastner was 109-114 in seven seasons with Georgia Tech with one NCAA Tournament appearance after going 167-73 with four NCAA appearances in seven seasons at Memphis.
Will Wade, McNeese State coach
Wade, 42, has led the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons, ending a 22-year drought for the program.
He was fired by LSU in 2022 after a notice of allegations from the NCAA for misconduct.
Wade served a 10-game suspension to start his tenure at McNeese in a deal with the NCAA, but his success with the Cowboys has seemingly made his previous transgressions a distant memory.
UNLV would have some competition for this hire, as N.C. State has reportedly already met with Wade.
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.