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While the Heat's Summer League was focused around Kasparas Jakucionis, the team's first-round pick from the latest NBA Draft, there were some other notable performances, one mainly from center Vladislav Goldin, who has connections to South Florida. With the Heat using the offseason to prepare for the upcoming season, it's also a time to develop young players, with Goldin getting attention from the team.
Goldin was an undrafted free agent acquisitiuon by Miami, even signing him to a two-way contract after what was a productive university stint. His collegiate career is arguably highlighted by his time at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), based in Boca Raton, Florida, under head coach Dusty May where in 2022, went all the way to the Final Four.
After another year at FAU, Goldin would join May in heading to the University of Michigan, which then led to his time currently with the Heat. During the six games of Summer League, Goldin has averaged 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and one block per game, garnering the attention of Miami assistant and Summer League head coach Eric Glass.
“Vlad was really good for us,” Glass said, according to The Miami Herald. “He plays so freakin’ hard out there. He plays so physically. You’d like to have him on the floor even longer, but he goes so hard, sometimes he burns himself out. That’s why we love him.”
Heat's Vladislav Goldin speaks on his Summer League
Though the biggest takeaways from the Heat's Summer League could be about Jakucionis and his up-and-down outings, Goldin provides an interesting conversation around his chances of becoming a crucial piece on the main roster. Still, Goldin has some work to do in adjusting his style of play to an NBA level as he even admitted when talking about his first experience with Miami.
“It has been amazing,” Goldin said. “It’s a completely different style of basketball compared to what I played the last four years. So it definitely takes a little bit more time to adjust. Simple things like now it’s 24 seconds on the shot clock instead of 30 seconds, the three-second violation on offense and defense. “So it has been great to be able to adjust because everybody is helping so much, trying to explain where to go and how to go. Everybody is so cooperative, so I think they made it so much easier compared to what it would be if I would be trying to do it on my own.”
Goldin would impress in the Heat's final Summer League game, scoring 18 points on seven of 10 shooting from the field to go along with 10 rebounds and four blocks. Standing at seven-foot-one and weighing 250 pounds, his size could be beneficial to Miami going forward, even saying his “dream” would be being a key player to the team.
It remains to be seen how the team will use Goldin come the season, but there's no denying the upside he gives behind such centers on the Heat like Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware.
