Rebels make portal addition, flip high school recruit from New Mexico

The UNLV men’s basketball team bolstered its backcourt Tuesday with another transfer portal addition and a high school recruit who originally committed to Mountain West rival New Mexico.

Howard “Howie” Fleming Jr., a 6-foot-5-inch guard from Texas-Rio Grande Valley, has signed with the Rebels, the team announced.

Then later Tuesday, Issac Williamson, a 6-1 senior combo guard from Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, California, announced his commitment to UNLV. He is the first new high school recruit for Rebels coach Josh Pastner.

Fleming averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a junior this season, starting 25 of 31 games for the Vaqueros, who went 16-15 overall and finished ninth in the Southland Conference at 8-12.

He spent his first two seasons at Illinois State, then transferred to Winthrop. He transferred again to Rio Grande Valley, where he spent a redshirt year before his most recent career-high season. He hadn’t averaged more than six points per game in any of his previous stops.

Fleming joins a growing group of portal additions under Pastner — Louisiana Tech guard Al Green, Arizona center Emmanuel Stephen and Illinois guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn.

Williamson, a three-star recruit according to 247Sports, helped Roosevelt claim the first Open Division state championship in school history this season. He told Sports Illustrated that he reopened his commitment to New Mexico after coach Richard Pitino left for Xavier.

Williamson averaged 14.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals this season.

Pastner and his staff have also retained four players recruited by previous coach Kevin Kruger in guard James Evans Jr., forward Jacob Bannarbie and incoming freshmen Tyrin Jones and Mason Abittan, a Coronado High standout.

The transfer portal closes Tuesday, and multiple former Rebels have yet to announce a new destination.

Lady Rebels

UNLV women’s basketball coach Lindy La Rocque has also been active in the portal, announcing the signing of former Fresno State guard Mariah Elohim.

The 5-10 Westlake, California, native was the Bulldogs’ second-leading scorer with 9.7 points per game as a junior this season.

She’ll help fill the gaps created by three of La Rocque’s young core leaving. McKinna Brackens transferred to Arizona State, leading scorer Amarachi Kimpson committed to Miami, and Macy Spencer is headed to High Point.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.