Emotional Reunion: Goldin’s Family Visits Ahead of NCAA Tournament

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Vladislav Goldin of the University of Michigan experienced an emotional reunion with his parents at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on March 19, 2025, after they traveled from Russia to watch him play college basketball.

The 7-foot-1 center, who has spent five years pursuing his basketball dreams in the United States, was eager to embrace his family. Holding a bouquet of flowers, Goldin expressed the gravity of the moment. “When the door opened and I saw them walking to me, it was like I lost all the oxygen in my lungs,” he said.

Goldin’s parents were in awe of how far their son has come. “Everything is like a dream to them,” he stated, highlighting the contrast between his life in America and the one they left behind.

The reunion came as Goldin completed the regular season with the Wolverines, who are vying for success in the NCAA Tournament. As the fifth seed and champions of the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan is set to face 12th-seeded UC San Diego on Thursday night in Denver.

Goldin previously played a crucial role on Florida Atlantic University’s Final Four team two years ago before transferring to Michigan following the hiring of head coach Dusty May. “I’m extremely grateful that he joined us here,” May said of Goldin. “This will be his fourth year playing March Madness, and the way he’s performed lately, he’s obviously not taking it for granted.”

Goldin, who averaged a team-high 16.7 points this season and earned All-Big Ten and conference tournament MVP honors, is riding the momentum of a successful season, having achieved a career-high 36 points in a game against UCLA. “Every year, he gets a little bit better and he really does game by game,” May remarked, noting Goldin’s growing leadership on the team.

Goldin’s path to Michigan began in Connecticut at a prep school before a brief stint at Texas Tech. He grew as a player at FAU, where he became a three-year starter before declaring for the NBA draft. However, he opted to continue his education and basketball career at Michigan.

“I don’t want to lose the ground under me,” Goldin said about the pressure of expectations. Despite the exciting events surrounding him—engagement, family reunion, and NCAA Tournament aspirations—he maintains focus on the present. “If I start thinking about this, I might get too emotional.”