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Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk adjusts to life in Kansas with the help of his teammates
By: Blair Sheade | @realblairsheady | Updated just now
Ukrainian 17-year-old Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk was so excited to play basketball at Kansas that he forgot to pack a basic necessity: pants.
When the 6-foot-8 guard, who likes to be called Svi, arrived in Lawrence, he needed to go shopping. Svi’s roommate, junior Evan Manning, said sophomore Wayne Selden and himself took Svi shopping at Urban Outfitters.
“We had to get him some pants,” Manning said. “He didn’t have many dress clothes or anything like that. So he had to get all hooked up with that. He doesn’t have much clothes to go out and eat with or hang out in at night, so we had to get him caught up.”
Svi said he showed up in Lawrence with only athletic gear to play basketball with because that’s all he cares about. Everyone on the team said Svi is really dedicated to playing basketball, and a lot them have funny stories of his love for the sport. For instance, junior Perry Ellis said Svi injured his leg on his recruiting trip on May 16, but still went to the gym everyday to shoot around.
Over the course of two years, the University men’s basketball team has recruited international athletes such as Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid, but both Wiggins and Embiid played high school basketball in the United States. This season, coach Bill Self recruited Svi, who hadn’t been to the United States before his recruiting visit in May.
Grasping the Language
Manning has helped Svi acclimate to his new lifestyle as any good roommate would. Besides helping Svi get a new wardrobe, Manning said Svi asks a lot of questions about living in Lawrence and speaking the English language. Svi knows Ukrainian, Russian and French, as well, but he said French was the hardest language to learn.
“For me it was French because for me it’s more hard,” Svi said. “English was also hard, but I’m studying it for 11 years.”
Even though Svi studied English for the past 11 years in Ukraine, he said he needs to improve by taking three basic English classes at the University. Manning tries to help him with his English homework, and Svi tries to teach him Russian.
“He came up to me with some homework, and it’s actually really tough for me for a person that speaks English,” Manning said. “He’s taught me a little bite of Russian, but I’ve forgot it all.”
Svi’s Eastern European accent has caught the attention of the team. Junior Jamari Traylor and Selden said Svi’s accent makes them laugh.
Self said Svi doesn’t speak or understand English as well as Embiid did, but the difference between Embiid and Svi is Embiid acted like he didn’t understand English, and Svi acts like he does understand.
“Joel [Embiid] understood [English] perfectly, but he always acted like he didn't,” Self said. “He was a master of that.
“Svi isn't as bright as Joel in that regard, as far as being a con. Joel was great at it. You know, when things are going good, Joel understood every word. When things were going bad, ‘Oh, Coach, I don't understand at all.’ But Svi isn’t like that. I think Svi gets it and he understands.”
Away from the Court
Svi might not know English very well, but he likes the American culture. Manning said Svi fits in perfectly with the team because he loves playing video games.
“Since he’s been here, he’s already beat Grand Theft Auto,” Manning said. “[Svi’s] pretty good at video games.”
He also enjoys another form of popular American entertainment. Svi said he likes old-school rappers like Tupac and Notorious B.I.G, but he likes the current rap stars, as well.
“I like Kendrick Lamar, Drake and The Game,” Svi said.
Bonding over Basketball
Freshman Kelly Oubre said Svi and him connected instantly because they are both dedicated and love basketball.
“We go at it everyday in pick-up and practice, and I can tell he’s a young guy, but I can definitely tell we’re going to gel as teammates and brothers,” Oubre said.
Oubre and Svi are known as the two best shooters on the team. Everyday in practice, Oubre and Svi compete against each other in shooting drills to see who’s the better shooter.
“We aren’t tied,” Oubre said. “I think I’m up one. So I’m going to give myself the benefit of the doubt of course.”
Oubre said Svi is very talented shooter, and will be a major part of this Kansas team. Svi says his best skill is his shooting.
Welcome to Boot Camp
Svi didn’t know anything about Lawrence other than basketball, and that’s why he showed up without pants, but Selden said Svi has adjusted well to the Kansas basketball lifestyle. The first task Svi had to overcome was boot camp.
“Walking straight into boot camp had to tough for him, but he’s adjusted perfect,” Selden said.
This season’s men’s basketball boot camp was two weeks long and included a Marine officer, who put the team through military drills to whip the team into shape.
Svi said he’s never been through anything like boot camp before, and it was really hard.
Despite overcoming jet lag, Svi said other changes came easily because of his maturity. At the age of 17, Svi becomes the youngest player to ever play in the Big 12 conference. Despite still being a teenager, Manning said Svi is really mature.
“If I were to meet him and not know anything about him, I would think he’s a lot older than he is,” Manning said. “Physically, he’s a pretty strong dude, but the way he acts around people, he’s a really classy guy.”
Translating his Game
Svi has to adjust to the American style of basketball, he said.
“For me it’s like the first days are very hard because [his teammates] are more physical than me and stronger than me, but I keep working hard, and I think we are a good team and we will be good,” Svi said.
The difference between the European and American style of basketball could benefit Svi, as well. Manning said Svi’s ability to play in the 2014 FIBA World Cup for the Ukrainian national team gives Svi a leg up because he played again grown men including the U.S. men’s national team. Svi scored three points in 11 minutes against the U.S.
“Over here, you don’t see many guys with his height and that young don’t have that great of ball handling,” Manning said. “He can handle the ball really well and has great passing ability.”
Self said Svi will be a big part of this Kansas team no matter how well he can communicate, and Oubre said Svi’s English won’t matter come game time.
“He doesn’t have to speak the best English because his game speaks for itself,” Oubre said.
— Edited by Brian Hillix
