The Boston Celtics signed another sharpshooter to their roster last week with the addition of five-year veteran Svi Mykhailiuk. The 6-foot-7 wing will look to build off the most efficient season of his career, after shooting 42.4 percent from downtown in 2022-23, and he also has the potential to provide a playmaking boost off the bench.
But before the newest Celtic hits the parquet floor, let’s get to know him off the court more. Here are Mykhailiuk’s Five Facts:
- His full name is Sviatoslav Yuriyovych Mykhailiuk, but you can just call him “Svi.” He was born in Cherkasy, Ukraine to a family of academics; his mother is a high school biology teacher, and his father is a college history professor.
- Mykhailiuk began his professional career at age 15, playing for his hometown club Cherkaski Mavpy from 2012-14 before heading to the United States for college hoops. He has also played for the Ukrainian junior and senior national teams and in 2017 was the leading scorer in the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship with an average of 20.4 points per game.
- Mykhailiuk began his collegiate career at age 17 with the Kansas Jayhawks, making him the youngest player in Big 12 history. He four years in Lawrence, Kansas, and set the program’s single-season 3-point field goals made record during his senior season with 115 makes at an impressive 44.4 percent conversion rate.
- The 26-year-old is one of nine Ukraine natives to make it to the NBA and is one of two active players along with Sacramento’s Alex Len. He’s just the second Ukrainian to suit up for the Celtics, joining Vitaly Potapenko (1998-2002).
- Mykhailiuk publicly opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, issuing a joint statement with Len in which they both condemned the war and declared unity with their fellow countrymen.