WATCH: Vlad Goldin commitment reaction, NFL Draft recap and more
The Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball program added another piece to Dusty May’s roster for the 2024-25 season in Florida Atlantic center Vlad Goldin, the No. 2 center in the transfer portal.
Last season at FAU, Goldin (7-1, 240 pounds) averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 67.3% 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 night. It was under the now-Michigan coach at FAU that Goldin took off, transferring there in 2021-22 and starting 33 of 34 games with 6.8 points per contest along with 4.9 rebounds. He started all 39 games during FAU’s Final Four run last season with 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds each night.
TheWolverine.com’s Anthony Broome and Clayton Sayfie discuss the addition and what Goldin brings to Ann Arbor.
“I mean, you can’t add a much bigger piece,” Sayfie said. “Number two center in the transfer portal. And like you said, I mean, it was very expected. But at the same time, I think Michigan fans are feeling pretty relieved today, seeing as now he’s finally inn the fold, but nearly 16 points a game last year, seven rebounds. I mean, he’s got really good touch around the rim. He was in the 91st percentile in the country in a post-up efficiency as well. He’s got a nice hook shot there, putbacks, and he’s a pick and roll guy who slips to the basket.
“Defensively, he blocks shot. Michigan hasn’t had a great rim protector in quite a while. I would say Tarris Reed had the potential to be and show that at times with the way he could block some shots, but Vlad Goldin can really get after it on the defensive end.
“I think the most important position, at least maybe in the NBA and potentially in college on defense is having, a really good center that can protect the rim because then you can do so much around that. And Vlad Goldin allows you to do that. You have Danny Wolf there, the Yale transfer, who’s also over seven feet as kind of a depth piece. And he’s a different type of player in that he’ll stretch the floor. Vlad Goldin, despite the videos released by his dog, probably isn’t going to be shooting many three-pointers for Michigan this year. But he is a big, big pickup. And maybe the centerpiece of this team from a personnel standpoint.”
Also discussed were next steps for the roster, a full NFL Draft recap, your questions and much more. Watch using the video player above, on our YouTube channel or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
