May coached Goldin at Florida Atlantic, and was instrumental in bringing him to Ann Arbor.
When Dusty May took over the Michigan men’s basketball program, many assumed the Wolverines’ new head coach would look to Florida Atlantic for transfer options. And although May didn’t get quantity — picking up just one Owl in the portal — he certainly got quality.
Adding an elite 7-foot-1 big man in Vlad Goldin via the transfer portal, May brought a key piece to the Wolverines. Following an impressive season where he averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 67.3 percent from the field, Goldin could provide Michigan with an immediate boost. Goldin brings more than just his skills on the court, though. He also brings an understanding and appreciation of May’s system. In fact, May and the system he’s orchestrated are a good reason why Goldin picked the Wolverines.
“First of all, it’s a great program, it always was attractive because it’s Michigan, it has probably one of the greatest athletics histories for all of the NCAA teams,” Goldin told the Defend The Block Podcast. “And the second reason is the coaching staff. I prefer a relationship over anything else, so it was a pretty big deal for me.”
Goldin’s relationship with May goes far past the simple player-coach rapport. For Goldin, May is like family.
Moving from Russia to play college basketball meant Goldin had to make some significant sacrifices. Namely, he’s spent five years separated from his family back home. In the time since Goldin’s developed a basketball family. He may not have blood relatives he can turn to day in and day out here, but in May he has someone he considers his family nonetheless.
“It’s hard to say how impactful (May) was for my entire career, but he gave me family,” Goldin said. “I haven’t seen my family for five years but he’s probably one of the people who gave me family, who let me feel like I’m home, and it’s unbelievable.”
That feeling of home started with the Owls, but it stems from the relationship he has with May, and that makes Michigan the right place for him. That makes the Wolverines “home”.
Beyond his natural abilities, Goldin’s prowess on the court stems from the confidence and trust he has developed in himself. And even when he didn’t fully trust in himself, May did.
“At some point, I didn’t play the best game, we probably lost because of me, because I didn’t block out the guy on the opposite team and I just wanted to talk to (May),” Goldin said. “… And he just reassured me that I have to trust. He told me ‘I trust in you more than you trust in yourself, and whenever you trust in yourself the way I trust in you, that’s when you’re gonna start making an even bigger impact than you do now.’. And since that time I believe in myself more.”
For May, forming relationships this offseason is critical. Taking over a program and reconstructing the roster from scratch essentially, the relationships May forms help players trust him and the system he is building. That relationship is already solidified between May and Goldin — the fact that Goldin is at Michigan is proof of it.