Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May has done a stellar job of building the roster for the 2024-25 season. He confirmed in a press conference on Tuesday that there is one scholarship spot available.
May also said recently that he feels this Michigan basketball team has a “high, high ceiling.” The new head coach landed a number of key additions from the transfer portal headlined by Vlad Goldin, a former All-Conference player at FAU, as well as Danny Wolf, who was All-Ivy League last year.
All six transfers played high-major basketball. Roddy Gayle started and averaged 13 ppg for Ohio State last season. Rubin Jones is a guy May said Michigan basketball wanted, “so it wouldn’t have to play against him.”
How the 7-footers will play together for Michigan basketball
May covered a bunch of topics Tuesday but of interest to me was when he addressed how Vlad Goldin and Wolf would be used this season. He said he envisioned Goldin playing around 25 minutes per game, with Wolf seeing about 15 minutes at the center position.
Yet, May also said the two would play “significant” minutes together. The big question with Wolf is defensively and whether he can guard fours in the Big Ten. May praised his footwork and also talked about how Big Ten teams use bigger lineups.
Now, if Wolf gets in a bad matchup, I’m sure May will adjust. I just don’t see a world in which Wolf doesn’t start. He handles the ball like a guard and “is a really good 3-point shooter for a 7-footer” according to May.
That doesn’t sound like a guy who is going to have a part-time role. My guess is that Wolf plays more minutes per game than Goldin. He averaged 30.8 last season at Yale.
Unless a superstar is added, who is a must-start, the starting five is clear based on what May has said. He’s praised Jones and Roddy Gayle for their defensive ability in addition to what they can do on offense. They feel like the starting 2/3 while Tre Donaldson will be the starting point guard.
Wolf and Goldin will start in the frontcourt. Michigan basketball said as much when it announced their signings. Will Tschetter and Sam Waters will get some run too, especially Walters because he can play on the wing, but as of now, the starting five seems set (pending the final addition).
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