It’s easy to call the addition of Vlad Goldin to Michigan basketball huge because it is. Not only is Goldin a 7-foot-1 center, he might be the best center in the Big Ten conference.
That’s how important this commitment is for the Wolverines. Dusty May said he wanted to be good in year one and so far, he’s done everything in his power to make that happen.
Johnell Davis didn’t end up joining Michigan basketball, but May landed the other really important piece from his FAU team that went to the Final Four, and here are three takeaways for Michigan basketball.
A No. 1 scoring option
Michigan basketball added a lot of nice pieces before Goldin and even a 13-point-per-game scorer from the Big Ten in Roddy Gayle, but the Wolverines need a No. 1 option and they got it in Goldin.
This is the dude they are going to run their offense through. When Hunter Dickinson was a freshman, the Wolverines surrounded an elite post player with talented 3-point shooters and May has done that again, only with Goldin and all of his new additions.
Yet, Dickinson is the most comparable player to Goldin in recent Michgan basketball history. Goldin was more efficient on post-ups last season, but he played in a different league so take that for what it’s worth.
However, in two matchups with Big Ten teams last season — Illinois and Northwestern — Golden made 15-of-21 attempts. He scored 43 points. In other words, he’ll be just fine and could be First-Team All-Big Ten.
Michigan’s roster might be set
With Vlad Goldin, Michigan has the feel of a top-25 team. The Wolverines can trot out a lineup that features Goldin, Danny Wolf, Rubin Jones, Roddy Gayle, and Trey Donaldson. Plus, you’d have Justin Pippen, Lorenzo Cason, and Durral Brooks to provide depth in the backcourt, plus Sam Walters and Will Tschetter.
Nimari Burnett and Jace Howard are the unknowns. If they stick on the roster Michigan basketball is at the scholarship limit.
Yet, it feels like the Wolverines aren’t done and there could still be some attrition. We should know in the next week or two, but Burnett at least should be welcomed back. He’s a three-and-D guy who could thrive if he’s willing to come off the bench.
This is an NCAA tournament team
Michigan basketball still has to do the work and Dusty May knows that better than anyone. All of these pieces look good on paper but they have to be molded into a team.
You have a lot of defined roles, although some are still being worked out, but the starting lineup seems pretty clear to me. Michigan has depth, a bunch of shooting, and it has an abundance of guards/playmakers.
It’s been fascinating to see May prioritize those players because the lack of shooters and ball-handlers is why Michigan basketball lost so many close games the past three seasons.
Bigs like Goldin are still extremely valuable in college basketball. But as we saw with Dickinson in 2022, without the guards around them, it doesn’t matter much.
That won’t be a problem and even though May hasn’t coached a game, the expectations are going to be high in year one as in making the NCAA tournament high, although he did tell the Maize Rage his goal was getting to San Antonio (Final Four) so Dusty isn’t shying away from the pressure at all. He’s embracing it.
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