The Miami Heat just signed 7-foot Michigan center Vladislav Goldin to a two-way deal after he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft. Goldin, 24, averaged 16.6 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field, earning first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Tournament MVP honors. He also made it to the shortlist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given to the nation’s top center. After years of being one of the smallest teams in the league, the Heat are clearly going bigger. But who is Vladislav Goldin?

Where is Vladislav Goldin from, and what is his nationality?

Vladislav Goldin was born on May 12, 2001, in Nalchik — a city tucked away in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia. That’s where his story begins. Growing up, he spent his early years in Nalchik before moving with his family to Voronezh, where he was actually more into wrestling than basketball. Yep, Goldin was a competitive wrestler for six years before his insane growth spurt had other plans for him. Eventually, standing at 7-foot-1, it was clear his future was better suited for the hardwood than the wrestling mat.

His basketball journey really kicked off when he played for the PBC CSKA Junior team back home in Russia. After three seasons there, Goldin packed his bags in 2019 and moved to the U.S. for high school — enrolling at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. That one year in prep school set him up for college hoops, where he started off at Texas Tech, played a season, then transferred to Florida Atlantic and became a star. Vladislav Goldin completed his senior season and played as a center for the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team in the Big Ten Conference.

What is Vladislav Goldin’s ethnicity?

Vladislav Goldin’s roots trace back to Russia, where he was born to his parents, Alexander Goldin and Lubov Goldin. Both Russian by nationality, Alexander and Lubov’s exact ethnic background isn’t publicly detailed, though it’s likely they share the Slavic heritage common in their homeland. Even as Vlad left for the U.S. to chase his basketball dreams, the bond with his parents never faded. But with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war making travel nearly impossible, Alexander and Lubov had to rely on phone calls and video chats to stay connected with their son for nearly five years.

That’s why March 2025 turned into a moment Vlad will never forget. Waiting at Detroit Metropolitan Airport with a bouquet in hand and his fiancée by his side, he finally reunited with Alexander and Lubov Goldin after half a decade apart. “When the door opened and I saw them walking to me, it was like I lost all the oxygen in my lungs,” Vlad recalled. The hug they shared was years in the making. His parents were in awe of the life he had built at Michigan and now, going strong with the Heat — “Everything is like a dream to them,” he said. For Vlad, that embrace meant more than any trophy or title ever could.

What religion does Vladislav Goldin follow?

When it comes to whether Vladislav Goldin is Jewish, there’s really no public information out there — and Goldin himself has never talked about it. That hasn’t stopped fans on social media from throwing around some wild guesses, though. One X (formerly Twitter) user even joked,

Over on Reddit, the curiosity continued, with one user chiming in, “Danny Wolf is, was wondering about Goldin. He could be a Volga German as well.” And just to clear it up — being a Volga German isn’t a religion, it’s actually an ethnic group of Germans who settled along Russia’s Volga River. Most of them were Lutheran or Catholic, with a few Mennonites and other Protestant denominations in the mix. But again, all of this? Pure speculation. There’s been no confirmation or any credible information about Goldin’s faith or ethnic background on this front.

Vladislav Goldin’s story is one of chasing big dreams far from home, building a life in basketball while staying deeply connected to his roots. From his challenging journey across continents to finally reuniting with his parents after five long years, it’s clear his path has been anything but ordinary. And with the Miami Heat making waves in the Summer League, Goldin’s future with the team is definitely something to watch.