UNLV Retires No. 23 Jersey of Desi-Rae Young
The former Lady Rebel becomes the fourth player in program history to receive the honor, a distinction not awarded for two decades.
By Austin Reed ·
Las Vegas basketball fans saw a familiar number rise above the court this week as UNLV retired the jersey of Desi-Rae Young. The ceremony took place on Friday, Nov. 6, at the Thomas & Mack Center. Young is the fourth woman in program history to receive this distinction. She is the first to be honored in 23 years.
Young’s path to the collegiate stage began in her hometown. At age 12, she had little interest in the sport. She preferred sitting on the couch. Her uncle encouraged her to try out. She accepted the challenge. "My uncle kinda like forced me to play, so ever since then I’ve kinda just grown to love it," Young said in an interview with Channel 13 Sports.
She returned to the court as a student in 2020. That was the same year Lindy La Rocque became head coach. Young chose to play at UNLV rather than attend other schools. She wanted to remain close to her support system. "I knew I wanted to stay home," she said. "Let me stay here, do it for my family, do it for the people that are really supporting me and wanna always be able to see me play."
The partnership between Young and La Rocque transformed the Lady Rebels. The team won three consecutive Mountain West conference championships. It reached the NCAA tournament three years in a row. Young was named Mountain West Player of the Year twice. She finished her career with 2,017 points and 1,081 rebounds.
La Rocque credited Young with setting a standard for the program. The coach pushed for the jersey retirement. She cited Young’s commitment and example. "You can be loyal, you can leave a legacy, and you can be in the rafters of a place when you really commit to it like Desi has," La Rocque said. "I truly believe and feel that we grew up together. I started this head coaching journey with her as she started her collegiate career."
Young described the visual impact of the retired jersey. She expects an emotional reaction when she sees it. "I see angels around it, you know, I see pixie dust and rainbows and roses and butterflies," she said. "I could literally cry staring at it because it’s so beautiful."
Young offered advice to young players in Las Vegas. She emphasized internal desire over external pressure. "My advice is just go get it," she said. "Like you have to want it deep down."
The retired number 23 now hangs in the rafters of the Thomas & Mack Center. It joins the jerseys of three previous Lady Rebels who received the same honor. The ceremony concluded the celebration of Young’s four-year tenure with the program.
