Kansas Jayhawks Land Ukrainian Basketball Player Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Bill Self: 'This is Great News for Us'
ByThe University of Kansas (UK) Jayhawks basketball team has announced Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has transferred from Ukraine.
He most recently played for Cherkassy, but several scouts were impressed by what they saw when he participated in the Nike Hoops Summit last month in Oregon and the practices before it.
"Obviously, this is great news for us," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in the team's announcement. "He is 16 years old and will turn 17 in June, but his skill level, knowledge and aptitude for the game are way beyond his years. I think that he will be an immediate impact guy. He is a guy that can play all three positions on the perimeter. At 6-8, he can play point, play the No. 2 (guard) or the No. 3 (guard). He allows us to be more versatile next year and certainly, there would be few people that would shoot it better than him."
ESPN noted Mykhailiuk plays shooting guard, but his size gives him the versatility to play small forward. Classified as a swingman, Mykhailiuk is comparable to Andrew Wiggins, the freshman sensation who just left after one season at Kansas for the NBA Draft.
"We got a lot better today," Self said. "He's not here yet and he won't come until the fall because he's going to stay back and play with his national team this summer, which we strongly encourage. He's a young man who will be so exciting to watch his growth because of his age, his intellect and his 'want to.' This guy really wants to be a player and really wants to do it here in the States."
One unnamed NBA executive told ESPN Mykhailiuk is most similar to Michigan swingman Nik Stauskas, who could potentially be a lottery pick in the draft this year.
"He's extremely talented and can really shoot it," a separate NBA evaluator told ESPN. "He has to get stronger, but he can make a play with the ball in his hands. He gets bumped off his route right now."
A member of the Big 12, Kansas plays in one of the most competitive conferences in the nation, though they have won the conference title 10 years in a row.
"I liked everything," Mykhailiuk said in the team's announcement. "From the history, the strength program and especially the coaches - everything. It's Kansas. KU has players every year. Coach Self has had so many players go to the NBA. That's an important thing."