'Linsanity' turned on the spark, and Myles Che hopes to turn it into a fire in UNLV – Las Vegas Sun News

Myles Che drips the ball by the court, immediately calling the attention of a defender. You can feel what your opponent is thinking: it will be easy to protect.

But Che, the new ship owner, has other plans. Often, make them pay for that assumption.

“You can see it in their eyes. They think it will be something easy,” he says. “That was one of the best things for me, I always played with a chip on my shoulder. I had that little advantage.”

Satisfaction, admits, is intoxicating. “There is nothing better than looking at the defender and being able to say that they are defeated. That is the best.”

The first -year UNLV coach, Josh Pastner, has Che, and the wave of transfers that helped him completely rebuild the Runnin 'Rebels list, to contribute exactly that type of impact to Mountain West. The new squad arrived at the campus in June, ready to show that the skeptics were wrong.

The Junior Che, who is a Taiwanese American, was transferred to UNLV from UC Irvine, where he directed the Big West Championship program. It is believed to be the only Asian shipowner in the basketball of Division I.

There are only a handful of Asian players in the university game: a list of Che can leave, such as Xavier Lee, who transferred Princeton to the Florida national champion.

As with many of his generation, Che caught the basketball fever seeing Jeremy Lin, a Taiwanese American who became a star that helped take the New York Knicks to the NBA playoffs in 2012. Che was in primary school when “Linanity” swept the nation, transfixed when he saw someone who looked like someone who looked like someone who looked like him dominated in NBA's largest stage.

He turned on something inside Che.

Che will use the number 77, making it the first rebel in the history of the program to use that number. It pays tribute to the number 7 of Lin, which he used in his last years in the NBA. More than just inspiration from afar, Lin has become a mentor with which Che remains in regular contact. In August, Che will attend a retirement camp in the Bay area that Lin houses specifically for Asian players in the university game.

“You are like, 'This guy is like me, I can do that too,'” said Che.

About 7.7% of Las Vegas's population is Asian, according to the United States Census Office. That culture is more visible in Chinatown throughout Spring Mountain Road, a Destination Che has already frequented while acclimatizing the city. He already feels at home, he said.

“I think it's really great for both our program and the Las Vegas community,” Pastner said about Che's background. “He is proud to represent that community.”

Well traveled trip

Che to Las Vegas's journey was very busy.

He was a smaller high school player in California, whose career was almost derailed when Covid-19 eliminated most of two seasons. From the training only in his backyard during the closures, Che finally found his way to the skill factory, an Atlanta preparation school, where he finally showed the talent that belonged to a university list.

The numbers spoke for themselves: 14.5 points and 7.5 assists per game, shooting 42% from a range of 3 points while helping the program to win a national title of the preparatory school. Those performances earned him a scholarship for the University of Tennessee-Chaattanooga.

Throughout the winding path, many people supported their dream, especially their parents. His father has not lost a game.

“Stereotypically, many Asian parents tell their children to concentrate at school,” said Che. “Mine were like, 'if this is what you want to do, as long as we see you working on it, go looking for it.' My parents are my greatest followers.”

In Chattanoga, he averaged 7.5 points and 2.4 rebounds while fired 54% from the field, highlighted by a 22 -point performance against Louisville.

He transferred back to his south native of California for his second season at UC Irvine, where his father had gone to school. There, Che became a key piece of the impressive 32-7 campaign of the before, averaging 12.4 points per game and winning honors of honorary mention of All-Big West.

'The real business'

Pastner is known for bringing energy and intensity to training sessions. In the first week of practice in June, Che experienced that first hand.

Everything, like Pastner had promised while recruiting his list, was fast. One thing that did not expect: without oaths. Pastner does not use rude language, and neither does his players.

If someone slides, the first rule of the rebels comes into progress: “All to the line” for Sprints, said Che.

“It's almost as if it were false, you know, since it is so every day,” Che continued. “But that's what it is. It is the real business with the energy and passion it contributes to the Court.”

The Pastner recruitment launch for Che was simple: come to help restore UNLV basketball to his former glory. The program arrived at the Final Four three times in five seasons since 1987, but UNLV has not played in the NCAA tournament since 2013.

It is Pastner's work to finish that drought. Che is ready for the challenge.

“UNLV has had such a high level over the years,” he said. “That is what we are trying to return.”

Che plays the mentality that Pastner looked for while built his first UNLV list, said the coach.

“The two most important things: he is a winner, and is not afraid to dive on the floor for loose balls,” Pastner said.

“It is not a 50-50 type. It is a 90-10 type in the sense that when the ball is on the floor, 90% of the time occurs. That is what our program is about: competitive excellence.”

The initial practices are serving multiple purposes, including players and coaches that become more familiar with each other. And, equally important, learn Pastner's style.

Che says that the learning curve is not too severe. These days with the transfer portal in university basketball, players are accustomed to learning the trends of new teammates.

“Our team is incredible,” Che said in mid -June. “We have been together for a week and our chemistry is very good … we have excellent pieces, great talent.

“At the end of the day, with the way in which university basketball is now, it is about assembling and making it work,” he continued.

That begins with Che, who Pastner says “he understands that he is the field marshal” and “is not afraid to call the boys when they are not competing.”