Lakers like Svi's shooting; Graham wears KU tie to Hornets' media session
The Los Angeles Lakers worked out numerous college basketball players the past month and a half in advance of the 2018 NBA draft. Few, if any, shot the ball in the Lakers’ practice facility as well as former Kansas guard Svi Mykhailiuk.
“He’s a 20-year-old player that was really one of the best knock-down shooters we had in our building during the draft process. Beautiful stroke … stretched the floor … and a tough guy,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka told Los Angeles media members after the Lakers made Mykhailiuk the 47th pick in the draft (17th pick of Round 2) on Thursday night in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Magic (Johnson, Lakers president of basketball operations) has preached over and over again adding shooting to our core,” Pelinka added.
The Lakers deemed Mykhailiuk — he turned 21 on June 10 — draft-worthy after working out the 6-foot-8 native of Cherkasy, Ukraine, as well as examining his body of work at KU.
“There were times in the tournament this year he was guarding great players like Marvin Bagley and didn’t back down from him,” Pelinka said of Mykhailiuk’s work against 6-11 Bagley in KU’s Elite Eight victory over Duke.
“Magic and I noticed that, that he has a toughness combined with his shooting and he’s a legit 6-7,” Pelinka added of KU’s single-season 3-point record holder (115 makes last season).
According to RealGM.com, Mykhailiuk will be just the ninth player from Ukraine to play in the NBA since the 1946-47 season. The others: former Laker Slava Medvedenko, plus Joel Bolomboy, Kyrylo Fesenko, Pooh Jeter, Viacheslav Kravtsov, Alex Len, Oleksiy Pecherov and Vitaly Potapenko.
“It is an honor to make it (from) where I made it from, to be part of the NBA, be part of the Lakers,” Mykhailiuk told the LA media after the draft. He attended the proceedings with his parents and agent at Barclays Center (home of the Nets) in Brooklyn.
“With all the history the Lakers have, I feel like it’s a blessing just to be a part of the team," he added.
Mykhailiuk said his strength obviously is “shooting. Nowadays in the NBA, everybody is trying to find players who can shoot. For me, I have a pretty good stroke and I can knock down shots. The Lakers have not only got a shooter, I can do way more than shoot.
“I would say I’m a pretty good all-around player,” Mykhailiuk added. “I can pass the ball. I can go to the hoop. I can shoot midrange 3-point shots. I would say I’m a pretty sneaky athlete. I would say I’m a pretty good overall player.”
Graham meets Hornets media
Former KU point guard Devonté Graham met the Charlotte Hornets media Friday in North Carolina wearing a blue suit and a KU tie. The 6-foot-2 Raleigh, N.C., native was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the fourth pick of Round 2. Atlanta traded Graham’s rights to the Hornets for two future second-round picks.
“It helped me tremendously,” Graham said of four years being a Jayhawk. “I wouldn’t be here probably if I didn’t go there. It helped me grow on and off the court playing off the ball, playing the primary point. Coach (Bill) Self is an unbelievable guy. The coaching staff is great. It definitely is going to translate to this level.”
Of Charlotte trading two picks to acquire him, Graham told the Hornets’ NBA.com website: “That’s exciting just to know … I feel that means they have a lot of confidence in me. I feel that will put a lot of confidence in myself.”
Charlotte general manager Mitch Kupchak said the Hornets see Graham as “a player we didn’t think would be there in the early 30s (34 overall) — one we ranked higher. At the same time it did enable us to fulfill a need going forward with a veteran. When I say a veteran, we’re talking about a four-year kid in college, which these days qualifies as a veteran in college.
“Does that mean he’s ready to step in and make a contribution next year? I can’t say that’s the case. I think a guy who’s spent four years of basketball at a program like Kansas, if anybody can contribute it would be a player like that,” Kupchak added.
Graham confessed he was a bit tired on Friday. He worked out for more than a dozen NBA teams leading into the draft.
“It’s definitely been a whirlwind, but it’s a dream come true,” he said of playing for a team in his home state. Graham and well-wishers celebrated in Raleigh when his name was called on Thursday night.
“I had all my family and friends meet at a hotel. We had a little rented out area, had a pool table, played card games and just enjoyed each other a little bit watching the draft,” Graham explained, noting he became a bit nervous "at 28. I knew that was kind of the range my agent was telling me — 28 to 40. From No. 1 until then I was good. When 28 hit I got real nervous and real serious."
This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Lakers like Svi's shooting; Graham wears KU tie to Hornets' media session."