LAS VEGAS — Howie Fleming Jr. is entering the transfer portal after his lone season at UNLV, he announced on Instagram, adding another experienced departure to a roster that continues to shift as the offseason gets going.
If you have followed this team at all this spring, the move itself is not all that surprising. UNLV has been in constant motion since the season ended. Still, Fleming’s situation stands out more than most, and not just because of what he gave the team this year.
He will need an NCAA waiver to get another year of eligibility, which makes this about more than just finding the next stop. There is a real question about whether he will get the chance to play again at the college level. That uncertainty changes how this whole decision is viewed.
When he arrived in Las Vegas, the fit made sense right away. A 6-foot-5 guard coming off a strong and efficient year at UTRGV, someone who could score, rebound and handle the ball. Before that, he had already been through Illinois State and Winthrop, so he was not new to adapting. That experience showed early.
At UNLV, his role never really centered on being the main option. He did not need it to. Fleming finished the season averaging 9.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists, but those numbers do not fully capture how he played. He found ways to stay involved without forcing the game in his direction.
There were nights where scoring came naturally, and there were nights where it did not matter as much. He could still impact the game by rebounding, defending different positions or helping keep the offense organized. That flexibility became important as the season moved along and roles continued to shift.
You saw it in different ways depending on the matchup. Some games he was attacking, other games he was more of a connector, moving the ball and making sure possessions did not break down. It was not always obvious in the moment, but over time it added up.
There were games where it showed up clearly. He had 25 points and 12 rebounds at Memphis, followed by 23 points and six steals at Fresno State. He also recorded a season-high 12 assists against Utah State. Those are the performances that stand out when you look back at the season.
Even those do not fully explain the kind of impact he had. The two triple-doubles tell a better story in some ways. They were not about chasing numbers. They came from being involved in every part of the game at once. He was scoring when it was there, rebounding when it was needed and creating for others without changing how he played.
There were also smaller moments that said just as much. He played 42 minutes in a game against Nevada, which speaks to both trust and necessity. In a season where the team did not always have a steady rotation, he became someone the staff could rely on to stay on the floor and make the right decisions.
UNLV never really settled into a consistent rhythm this year. Injuries, lineup changes and the adjustment to a new staff made that difficult. In that kind of environment, players who can adapt quickly tend to become more important than their stat lines suggest.
That is where Fleming fit.
He did not need a high number of touches to make an impact. He contributed as a rebounder, a defender and a secondary playmaker, and he helped connect different parts of the lineup. When things were working, he kept the flow going. When they were not, he helped keep things from slipping further.
That is part of why this departure lands differently, even with everything else happening around the program. There is a difference between losing production and losing someone who helps hold things together. Fleming’s impact was spread across the game, which can make it harder to replace than it first appears.
If he receives the waiver, there should be interest. Players with his size, experience and versatility usually find roles, especially for teams looking to add depth without needing to restructure how they play.
If the waiver does not come through, this likely marks the end of a college career that included four different programs and close to 100 games. It is the kind of path that reflects what the sport has become, where movement is common and roles change quickly.
That is something Josh Pastner has already addressed. The transfer portal has changed how rosters are built, and continuity is harder to maintain from year to year. UNLV is working through that reality just like everyone else.
Even with that in mind, not every departure feels the same.
Fleming was not always the player drawing the most attention, but there were plenty of moments where his presence showed up in the details. Those are the kinds of contributions that are easy to miss during a game but become more noticeable over time.
On a team that spent much of the season trying to find consistency, that role mattered.