Two Ukrainians selected in second round of 2018 NBA draft
The Washington Wizards have had a recent history of trading away their second-round draft picks for veteran players or cash. In 2018 the Wizards deviated from the past, selecting Ukrainian Issuf Sanon as the 44th overall pick. The 6-4 combo guard plays for Olimpija in Slovenia. He was slated to play for Washington in the Summer League in July of this year, but will remain overseas for at least the upcoming 2018-2019 season.
The attraction to Sanon was his athleticism. The Wizards’ European scout saw him in action many times, and his report praised Sanon for getting up and down the floor, a nice-looking shot, strong feel for the game and competitive spirit. At age 18, he’s already 6-foot-4 and there’s a chance he could become a little taller.
A good ball-handler with explosion, Sanon has an intense motor and emulates the style of Russell Westbrook. He needs some weight training (he’s only 172 pounds) and to work on his decision making. He shocked the scouting world with an impressive display in the 2017 European U-18 Championship by averaging 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.7 assists. In two years in Ukraine’s second division, Sanon averaged 22 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 4.4 assists per game.
After transferring to Olimpija Ljubljana and playing 17 games against Slovenian League competition, Sanon’s numbers fell significantly against more advanced players: 6.0 points, 1.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds. He acknowledged that he needs to work on his three-point shot, his court vision and his left hand.
The decision to draft Sanon with the intention of stashing him in Europe for at least another year made sense for the team. It would be most beneficial for Sanon to get regular playing time overseas rather than riding the end of the bench in D.C. It further allows the Wizards to fill a roster spot with an established NBA free agent.
Issuf Vladlen Sanon was born and raised in Donetsk, Ukraine. His father is a native of Burkina Faso (West Africa) who met his Ukrainian wife while the two were studying in Ukraine.
Mykhailiuk to Lakers
His agent, coach from Ukraine, girlfriend and parents were seated together at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, when Sviatoslav “Svi” Mykhailiuk heard the Los Angeles Lakers had selected him with the 47th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Many people thought the former Ukraine phenom would have heard his name called two or three years prior. Instead Mykhailiuk crafted a memorable four-year stay in Kansas, biding his time for his NBA calling.
Reports were that Mykhailiuk turned in one of the best individual workouts the Lakers had seen in the past several years, leading Los Angeles to pick him and his sweet stroke to southern California.
He started 70 of the 136 games he played during his four seasons for the Jayhawks, earning second-team all-Big 12 honors in his senior year when he averaged 14.6 points per contest, shooting a most respectable 44.4 percent from three-point range. He showcased more of a complete all-around game, which NBA scouts and management agreed he lacked during his time testing the NBA waters without an agent after his junior year.
He’s a legitimate 6-foot-8 with underrated athleticism and solid size. Mykhailiuk was a shining star in pre-draft combine scrimmages, netting 20 points on six of nine shooting from three-point range in one game. He continued to shoot the ball with extreme accuracy throughout the combine week during live action and drills.
Svi’s standing as one of the best pure shooters in the draft class clearly overcame his negative wingspan (arms extended are shorter than his height, 6-5 vs. 6-8). Certainly the Lakers were impressed, as were some of the other clubs who had Mykhailiuk in for workouts. No doubt he proved to one and all that he is much more than a shooter.
There is little doubt, however, that Mykhailiuk’s easiest path to a lengthy and prosperous NBA career will be through his deadly jump shot.
It is extremely rare for an NBA club to sign a second-round draft pick to a long-term contract, let alone a guaranteed one. The Los Angeles Lakers took a strong liking to Mykhailiuk, signing him to his first NBA contract. The signing was announced by General Manager Rob Pelinka in a press release on July 10. Yahoo Sports indicated the deal was for $4.6 million over three years, including a team option after the second year.
“Blessed and grateful – Officially a Laker! Thanks #Laker Nation!” Mykhailiuk wrote on Twitter.
Lakers coaches and executives have seen his progress from his early days on campus in Lawrence, Kan., to his play in 2018 summer league games. The 21-year-old can move, jump and slide his feet defensively. He is on a regular weight training regimen in an effort to get physically stronger.
The youngster is known as a shooter, but has shown in pre-draft workouts and summer league action he’s also a good defender, quite smart and has a high basketball IQ. Mykhailiuk moves well without the ball and his three-point shooting is fluid off the move or off the bounce. He has great range from a stand-still position and has demonstrated more versatility in his game than given credit for during his Kansas days.
When training camp opens, expectations are for the Ukrainian first-year pro to fight for a spot in the regular season rotation. He may be just a rookie, but he has the potential to be a contributor on a contending team right away.
Ihor Stelmach may be reached at [email protected].