Boca Raton, FL – As the Miami Heat are in the midst of training camp, having completed their second day on Wednesday, the time is being used for newcomers such as Giannis Antetokounmpo to get acclimated to the team. However, other Heat players use training camp as a way to prove to the coaching staff that they belong, which is the case for center Vladislav Goldin.

The Russian-born big man is one of Miami's two-way contract players, and entering his second season, he finds himself back at the place where he put himself on the map, Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Though he played his first season of collegiate ball at Texas Tech, he transferred to FAU under head coach Dusty May in 2021 and played for three seasons, with 2023 being the miraculous Final Four run by the Owls, with Goldin being a key part.

That March Madness run included Goldin recording 14 points and 13 rebounds against Kansas State in the Elite Eight that helped FAU get to the Final Four, though the program ended up losing to fellow Miami teammate Keshad Johnson and San Diego State.

Speaking to ClutchPoints one-on-one Wednesday, Goldin expressed how “amazing” it is to be back at FAU with the Heat for training camp.

“I mean, it's amazing. I'm not gonna lie,” Goldin said. “Like every time I come back on campus, I live like 40 minutes away from here. So I come sometimes for football games. Sometimes just to work out here. It always feels amazing. It's the place where I made my first steps in changing my mentality that, like, ‘I will be playing professionally,' and it always feels good to see familiar places.”

Vladislav Goldin talking with Alonzo Mourning.

Spoke with Goldin one-on-one at his old stomping grounds at #FAU. Story coming later. #Heat pic.twitter.com/XXrKwjWc5A

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) September 30, 2026

Heat's Vladislav Goldin on Dusty May's big NBA gig

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

After Goldin's time at FAU, he followed May to the Michigan Wolverines for his final college year in the 2024-25 season, where he averaged 16.6 points and seven rebounds per game, both of which are career-highs. Fast forward to the present, and Goldin is in his second year with the Heat, and May is the new head coach for the Dallas Mavericks after winning a national title with the Wolverines.

For Goldin, he admitted he was “surprised” to hear the news, though he knows that May “wants to be at the highest level.”

“It's amazing. I'll be honest,” Goldin said. “I was surprised how soon it happened, but I know he worked hard. I know he's always studying. He wants to be at the highest level, so I'm very curious how it's gonna be. Obviously, college and the NBA, it's completely different levels…But I wish him all the best, and I will see how he's gonna do.”

Another link with Goldin and Miami is that rookie Tre Donaldson, joining the center on a two-way contract, was a teammate with him during his lone season at Michigan. Donaldson ended up finishing his collegiate career at the University of Miami, as he was an undrafted free agent, like Goldin was in 2025.

“Yeah, I mean, not just Tre Donaldson. I feel like everybody who I played in college before, seeing here, I played against Ryan [Conwell] when I was on the team with Tre, it just feels a little bit like ‘Wow, we're making steps and like people who you were battling with, who you were battling against, and now you're teammates it makes me personally excited because I know that we've been in the same journey,” Goldin said.

What Vladislav Goldin wants to prove to the Heat

Last season saw Goldin split time between the Heat and the franchise's G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, where the seven-foot-one-inch big averaged 11.3 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks per game on 60.5 percent shooting from the field.

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Doing that in 24 games with the Skyforce, the hope is that Goldin could take his skills and stay ready on the two-way contract, as he told ClutchPoints he wants to prove that he belongs in the NBA. Last season, Goldin only played in nine games, though it was mostly during times when games were out of hand.

“Obviously, that I can compete and play at this level,” Goldin said about what he wants to show the coaching staff. “I can show that I can impact here in any way I need to do it. Like, it doesn't matter, like scoring, rebounding, whatever the game requires me to do, that's what I'm gonna do.”

“That sounds simple, but like be more fundamental, like crushing, be physical, being a good defensive player because that's what I think our team needs it the most at this point,” Goldin continued, expressing where he wants to improve. “Obviously, we have great players like Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Bam [Adebayo], Klay [Thompson]. Lots of players who are gonna draw a lot of attention, and you need some kind of guy who can work outside of the, like, stats.”

Heat's Erik Spoelstra expresses how Vladislav Goldin has stood out

As mentioned, the Heat's big men consist of Antetokounmpo, Adebayo, Bobby Portis Jr., and Nick Richards, as an injury to one could lead head coach Erik Spoelstra to elevate Goldin to the main roster if needed. When asked if the inclusion of a superstar like two-time league MVP Antetokounmpo makes him more motivated, it led to an answer many probably wouldn't expect.

“You probably would like me to say yes, but when you're on a court with an NBA player, period, I don't think there's like any higher motivation than this,” Goldin said. “Like you want to be with these guys, you want to be on a 15-player roster. I don't think it gets any higher.”

Goldin expressed how conversations with Spoelstra involve working on his conditioning, playing faster, being more mobile, and having the defensive versatility to defend against multiple positions. Spoelstra would even say to ClutchPoints on Wednesday that Goldin has stood out, even having “big moments against our big front lines.”

“He had his best day of the summer on the last pickup day. Played great that day where everybody saw it, and then he was really good today,” Spoelstra said. “Vlad had some big moments against our big front lines that he was competing against. He just continues to put his head down and get better. He's doing it quietly. Probably a lot of people aren't noticing, but the coaching staff is noticing. That's what he can control.”

At any rate, Goldin will look to impress in the rest of training camp at FAU ahead of the preseason opener on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors.