How Dusty May’s relationship with Vlad Goldin brought him to Michigan

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 opportunities. And while May didn’t get much quantity — he only brought in one Owl in the portal — he definitely got quality.

May brought a key player to the Wolverines through the transfer portal in Vlad Goldin, a 7-foot-10 elite player. After an impressive season in which he averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and shot 67.3%, Goldin could give Michigan an immediate boost. But Goldin brings more than just his on-court skills. He also brings an understanding and appreciation for May’s system. In fact, May and the system he orchestrates are a good reason why Goldin chose the Wolverines.

“First, it’s a great program, it’s always been attractive because it’s Michigan, it probably has one of the greatest sports histories of any NCAA team,” Goldin said on 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 beyond the simple player-coach relationship. To Goldin, May is like family.

Moving from Russia to play college basketball meant some big sacrifices for Goldin. He spent five years away from his family at home. Since then, Goldin has created a basketball family. He may not have blood relatives here to turn to day in and day out, but in May he still has someone he considers family.

“It’s hard to say how influential (May) was on my entire career, but he was family to me,” Goldin said. “I haven’t seen my family in five years, but he’s probably one of the people who gave me family, who made me feel like home, and that’s incredible.”

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 his “home.”

In addition to his natural ability, Goldin’s prowess on the court is based on the confidence he has developed. And even when he didn’t have complete confidence in himself, May did.

“At one point I wasn’t playing the best game, we probably lost because of me because I didn’t tune out the guy on the opposing team and I just wanted to talk to (May),” Goldin said. “… And he just assured me that I had to trust. He told me, ‘I trust you more than you trust yourself, and if you trust yourself like I trust you, you’re going to have an even bigger impact than you do now.’ And since then, I’ve believed in myself more.”

For May, building relationships this offseason is crucial. As he takes over a program and essentially rebuilds the roster from scratch, the relationships May builds help players trust him and the system he’s building. That relationship between May and Goldin is already solidified – the fact that Goldin is at Michigan is a testament to that.