Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Lady Rebels twins Dakota, Dylan Gonzalez foregoing final year of eligibility

Dylan and Dakota

Christopher DeVargas

Dylan Gonzalez, left, and twin sister Dakota are as popular online as they are on the basketball court for UNLV.

Las Vegas Weekly Spring Fashion starring Dylan & Dakota Gonzalez

Dakota: Silver ball drop earrings ($28), white flower necklace ($16), Francesca’s at Miracle Mile Shops. Rose gold rhinestone cross ring ($12), Rose gold 3 set ($10), mint green bracelets ($12), cactus bag ($22), Charming Charlie at Town Square. White fixed triangle top ($49.99), Billabong at Miracle Mile Shops. Buffalo David Bitton Lust magenta leather jacket ($99), Dillard’s at Downtown Summerlin. Launch slideshow »

UNLV athletics lost some of its star power on Friday, when Lady Rebels basketball players Dakota and Dylan Gonzalez decided to forego their final year of eligibility to focus on other professional pursuits.

The twin sisters combined to average 23.1 points per game last season, with Dakota leading the Lady Rebels at 13.2 per game.

The twins transferred to UNLV from Kansas in 2014 and brought much attention to the program due to their forays into social media and music. Their good looks and exciting style of play drew attention from national media, and rap superstar Drake even showed up at a UNLV game at the Thomas & Mack Center to watch them play.

They helped UNLV to a 22-11 record in 2016-17, and Dakota was named to the All-Mountain West first team.

"What's important is that we love and respect the University and that everyone here has shown that love and respect back," Dakota Gonzalez said via a university release. "We will always be a part of the Lady Rebel family, and we will always cherish our time at UNLV."

Because they sat out the 2014-15 season due to transfer rules, the sisters are set to graduate this semester. They could have continued taking classes and returned for one more season, but will instead opt for a career in entertainment. Dakota and Dylan have almost 2 million followers combined on Instagram.

"We would love to continue to play for the Lady Rebels," Dylan Gonzalez said via release. "But we also wanted to get a start on pursuing this career path for the rest of our lives, and it was going to be impossible to do both."

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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