Kansas basketball: Svi Mykhailiuk excels in first showings with Celtics

Former Kansas basketball sharpshooter Svi Mykhailiuk has made the most of his opportunities with the Boston Celtics in the NBA Preseason.

After a resurgent season with the Charlotte Hornets that practically saved his NBA career, Svi Mykhailiuk has emerged as a potential rotational piece for his new team. A pair of strong preseason showings have Celtics fans excited about his presence in Boston.

The Kansas basketball record-holder in 3-pointers made in a single season was absent from his squad’s NBA Preseason debut. However, he has made appearances in their past two contests, and his offensive prowess has been put on display.

In his first game, he posted 15 points and three rebounds on 5-for-9 shooting (3-for-7 from long range) in 26 minutes played. Two days later against the Philadelphia 76ers, he scored 15 points once again at a more efficient clip (5-for-6 field goals, 3-for-4 3-point range).

Mykhailiuk, a Cherkasy, Ukraine native, enjoyed similar success toward the latter stages of the 2022-23 season. He averaged 17.0 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in the Hornets’ final nine games. That prompted teams to look into him during free agency, and the player once considered a candidate to go overseas extended his NBA career.

With two strong performances in the books, Mykhailiuk has made a strong impression on C’s fans. Celtics Wire spoke about the possibility of him overtaking Sam Hauser in Joe Mazzulla’ lineup:

“Hauser is likely to have some rope well into the regular season, but there’s a growing consensus that if Mykhailiuk continues to excel and Hauser keeps struggling, it could prompt coach Joe Mazzulla to contemplate change.”

READ: Ranking the 10 greatest 3-point shooters in KU history

Boston competes in two more preseason bouts. The 6-foot-7 wing will hope to impress his head coach even further before the regular season begins on Oct. 25.