Former KU guard Svi Mykhailiuk earns NBA championship as member of Boston Celtics

Svi Mykhailiuk is the second basketball player from Ukraine and 16th from the University of Kansas to win an NBA title.

Mykhailiuk, a 27-year-old, sixth-year pro out of Cherkasy, Ukraine, became a champion Monday when his Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Boston.

Slava Medvedenko of Ukraine won NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 and 2002.

Mykhailiuk becomes the eighth Jayhawk to play for head coach Bill Self and then win an NBA title. The 6-foot-7, 205-pound wing joins Wayne Simien (2006, Miami), Mario Chalmers (2012, 2013, Miami), Brandon Rush (2015, Golden State), Sasha Kaun (2016, Cleveland), Markieff Morris (2020, Lakers), Andrew Wiggins (2022, Golden State) and Christian Braun (2023, Denver).

The marks the third straight year a KU player has won an NBA championship (Wiggins, Braun, Mykhailiuk). Morris won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

Mykhailiuk is one of six Jayhawks to win a title with the Celtics.

The others: Scot Pollard and Paul Pierce (2008); Jo Jo White (1974, 1976); Maurice King (1960) and Clyde Lovellette (1963, 1964).

KU legends Wilt Chamberlain (1972), White (1976) and Pierce (2008) were named NBA Finals Most Valuable Players.

Mykhailiuk was a second-round selection, the 47th overall pick, in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Before joining the Celtics in free agency this past offseason, Mykhailiuk played for the Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets.

This past season, Mykhailiuk played in 41 regular-season games and averaged 10.1 minutes and 4.0 points. He appeared in eight playoff games in 2024, including three in the finals against Dallas.

Mykhailiuk played four seasons at KU (from 2014-15 to 2017-18) and was a two-year starter. He was an all-Big 12 second team selection in 2018. He broke the Kansas single-season record for 3-point field goals made with 115 in 2017-18.

Mykhailiuk was also a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and was second on the KU team with a 14.6 scoring average his senior season. Mykhailiuk currently ranks No. 5 on the Kansas 3-point field goals made list at 237, No. 6 on the 3-point field goals attempted list at 579 and No. 43 in scoring with 1,181 points.

Here’s the list of KU’s NBA champions

2024: Mykhailiuk, Boston Celitics. 2023: Braun, Denver Nuggets. 2022: Wiggins, Golden State Warriors. 2020: Morris, Los Angeles Lakers. 2016: Kaun, Cleveland Cavaliers, 2015: Rush, Golden State Warriors. 2012 and 2013: Chalmers, Miami Heat. 2008: Pollard, Boston Celtics. 2008: Pierce, Boston Celtics. 2007: Jacque Vaughn, San Antonio Spurs. 2006: Wayne Simien, Miami Heat. 1975: Bill Bridges, Golden State Warriors. 1974, 1976: White, Boston Celtics. 1967, 1972: Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers. 1960: King, Boston Celtics. 1954, 1963, 1964: Lovellette, Minneapolis Lakers then Boston Celtics twice).