The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520409
JUNE/JULY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 41 2024 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CHRIS BALAS W hen Dusty May took the head basketball coach job at Michigan, many believed he'd bring several of his Florida Atlantic players with him. In the end, it turned out to be just one, but it was a big one, and the Wolverines got a huge boost when huge center Vladislav Goldin announced April 29 he would join his coach at U-M. Goldin had previously announced that he would declare for the 2024 NBA Draft while also maintaining his collegiate eli- gibility and potentially staying at FAU. Instead, he'll use his final year of eligibil- ity at Michigan. Last season in Boca Raton, Goldin (7- foot-1, 240 pounds) averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shoot- ing 67.3 percent from the field, which was third best in college basketball. He started his college career at Texas Tech in 2020- 21, playing in 10 games and averaging 4.7 minutes per contest. Goldin transferred to FAU in 2021-22 and started 33 of 34 games, averaging 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest. He started all 39 games during the Owls' Fi- nal Four run in 2022-23, notching 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds each night. It took a few weeks after May left be- fore Goldin announced he'd be looking around. "I want to start off by thanking ev- eryone who has supported me over the years," Goldin said on social media when he entered the portal and declared for the draft. "It has been an unbelievable time at Florida Atlantic. We have done some amazing things here that I will remem- ber for the rest of my life. I want to also personally thank all my teammates and coaches. I will never forget what we have built all together. I am excited to open this new chapter of my life. "With that being said, I am declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft while retaining my collegiate eligibility and with the consid- eration of returning to FAU." May touched on the potential of his former players at Florida Atlantic joining him at Michigan when he was introduced to the media after his hiring. He insisted on keeping the focus on them and their decisions rather than using it as a plat- form to recruit them. "We met as a group and with several of them individually when I left," May said. "They had a range of emotions. Right now, they're focused on FAU, and I don't think any of them are in the portal … [so] right now, I don't know." A few weeks later, Goldin was in the fold — and May was ecstatic. "He shot a great percentage from the field. He does a little of everything, and he continues to get better, expanded his range," May said. "He's shooting perim- eter jump shots now, and his free throw percentage is going up every single year. He loves to work. "As much as he loves playing basket- ball, those things … when you're around a guy that only knows how to work hard — and he only knows how to love his teammates and care about them — it's so enjoyable." Goldin started in 107 of 108 games for the Owls in leading them to two straight NCAA tournaments, including the 2023 Final Four when they lost a heartbreaker to San Diego State in the semifinal. He averaged 13.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on a 64.9 percent field-goal rate during the past two seasons when Florida Atlantic reached unprecedented levels of program success. He'll now bring his talents to Michigan, hoping to lead the Wolverines back to the NCAA Tournament in 2024-25. ❏ The Centerpiece Vlad Goldin Will Be Michigan's Go-To Man In The Paint Goldin By The Numbers • Originally from Nalchik, Russia, Goldin was the No. 211 player nationally in the 247 Sports composite rankings for 2020. He attended high school at Putnam Science Academy in Connecti - cut. • Over his 117 collegiate appearances, Goldin has averaged 10.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. • Scored a career-high 23 points three times in 2023-24, including a loss at Illinois in which he went 10 of 15 from the floor in only 19 minutes. • Put up 20 or more points in 7 of his last 9 games for FAU. He scored 19 in his last game in an FAU uniform, an NCAA Tournament overtime loss to Northwestern. — Chris Balas Last season at Florida Atlantic, the 7-foot-1, 240-pound Goldin averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 67.3 percent from the field, which was third best in college basketball. PHOTO COURTESY FAU ATHLETICS