For the Kansas basketball team to reach its potential this season, the backcourt must be the best in the nation. Along with Lagerald Vick, Svi Mykhailiuk will be a prominent guard off the bench. What can fans expect from the talented Ukrainian?
Kansas basketball coaches and fans have seen tantalizing flashes of greatness from Svi in the two years he’s spent in Lawrence. As a freshman, Svi’s best game was against Michigan State in Orlando, scoring 13 points on 4-10 shooting, including 3-6 from three point range. He also did well at the end of conference play and the NCAA tournament last year. Against Texas Tech in Lawrence, Svi drained 5 of 5 three point attempts en route to a 17 point outburst. Svi broke out again In the first round of the tournament, scoring 23 points in 24 minutes on 9-11 shooting, and 4-5 from three point land.
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Why hasn’t Svi Lived up to the Hype?
Svi’s issues have boiled down to consistency, whether it has been playing time or his shooting stroke. Last season, Svi had just as many games where he played more than 15 minutes as games where he played ten or fewer. Some of this can be attributed to Brannen Greene’s various issues with suspensions and consistency. Mykhailiuk’s three point shooting tells much the same story. In 13 games, Svi shot 33% or worse from the three point line, and coincidently also in 13 games, he shot better than that. Overall, he shot 40% from three, but was far from consistent.
What to Expect This Season
For the first time in his Kansas basketball career, Svi now has a defined role and will likey get plenty of playing time. As the first man off the bench, Svi can more effectively use his array of skills. Svi was pigeonholed as a spot up shooter In his first two seasons, playing alongside two ball dominant guards in Devonte Graham and Frank Mason, and a scoring wing in Wayne Selden.
I expect Svi to play on the ball more often this season, where he will be able to use his very good ballhandling and passing skills. This isn’t to say that he won’t be a very good shooter. During the Late Night in the Phog broadcast, Coach Bill Self remarked that Svi is capable of being a 45% three point shooter. It will very difficult for Self to keep the Ukrainian off the floor if his production matches his considerable talent.
Svi’s driving ability is the most underutilized area of his game. At a legitimate 6’8,” and increasingly filled out frame, Svi should be able to muscle up smaller guards and have the strength to finish at the rim. If his shot isn’t falling, too often of occurrence, Svi will need to find other ways to score if he’s to be Kansas’s sixth man this year. He’ll also be able to use that frame to guard almost every wing that the Jayhawks will play this year, providing another solid defender off the bench when elite perimeter defender Josh Jackson isn’t in the game.
Bottom Line
Overall, Svi will have to improve almost every aspect of his game this year. The good news is that almost all the improvement can come via increased confidence and consistent playing time. Svi’s physical tools have never been questioned, but now at age 19, he has matured physically and mentally into a very good college player. If he’s ever going to put it all together in college, this will be the year.