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Michigan misses out on top player in transfer portal, potential replacement for Vlad Goldin

At one point Coach Dusty May and the Michigan Wolverines were favored to secure the commitment of a rival transfer player
Jerred Johnson|
Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Coach Dusty May could be losing both of his 7-foot towers after this season. We know for certain that Vlad Goldin is gone as he has exhausted his eligibility. All indications are that fellow 7-footer Danny Wolf will follow Goldin to the NBA. Wolf has been projected as a mid-first round draft pick. He could be enticed by NIL money to stay but that remains to be seen and is a heavy ask for the collectives to match NBA first round money.

So, while preparing to take on the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Auburn Tigers, Coach May and his staff are also scouring the portal to find plug and play assets to replace the production of the teams two best players. Iowa transfer Owen Freeman was a perfect fit for that role.

While Michigan was pegged as an early leader in this race, they ultimately lost out to Creighton.

Freeman was a stat sheet stuffer this year averaging 16.7 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game. Those numbers would have effectively replaced Goldin's production this year (16.8 points per game and 7.0 rebounds). It's a tough time to be a head coach in the tournament right now, preparing for your next opponent, trying to keep kids on your current roster from transferring, and keeping an eye out on potential future transfer replacements. An unenviable task brought on by the NCAA's idiocy in their timing of the transfer portal start date.

But as it relates to finding replacements for potentially two departing 7-footers, it's back to the drawing board for Coach May and crew.

Goldin
University of Michigan basketball center Vlad Goldin | Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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