Los Angeles Lakers snag Svi Mykhailiuk with 47th pick in 2018 NBA Draft

By Matt Tait     Jun 21, 2018

Nick Krug
Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) has a laugh with Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) during the first half against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017 at Allen Fieldhouse.

He was seated in the stands at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with his agent, coach from Ukraine, parents and girlfriend, when former Kansas guard Svi Mykhailiuk heard his name called in this year’s NBA Draft on Thursday night.

With the 47th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Kansas.

With that, the former phenom who carved out a memorable career during his four years in Kansas reached the point that many thought might come two or three years earlier.

Reports of Mykhailiuk delivering one of the best individual workouts the Lakers had seen in the past few years surfaced during recent weeks and the shooting guard from Ukraine now will bring his sweet stroke to Southern California.

Mykhailiuk became the second former KU player drafted on Thursday night, joining teammate and best friend, Devonte’ Graham, who was selected No. 34 overall by Atlanta before being sent to Charlotte.

While starting 70 of the 136 games in which he appeared during his four seasons with the Jayhawks, Mykhailiuk earned second-team all-Big 12 honors as a senior while averaging 14.6 points per game, shooting 44.4 percent from 3-point range and flashing more of a complete all-around game, which NBA scouts and brass questioned during his time testing the waters without an agent following his junior season.

A legit 6-foot-8, with good size and underrated athleticism, Mykhailiuk was one of the bright spots of the pre-draft combine scrimmages, scoring 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range during one game and continuing to shoot the ball throughout the week during drills and live action.

Mykhailiuk’s negative wingspan — which means his arms extended are shorter than his height (6-5 vs. 6-8) — was viewed as a reason to downgrade his status, but his standing as one of the best pure shooters in the draft class clearly inspired the Lakers to overlook that. ESPN’s Jay Bilas even referenced the wingspan issue during Thursday’s broadcast.

Throughout the past several weeks, Mykhailiuk has worked out with nearly a dozen different teams, each time trying to prove to them and anyone watching that he is more than just a shooter.

But there’s little doubt that Mykhailiuk’s easiest path to a long and rewarding career in the NBA is through his right hand the deadly jumper.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.