KU Rank 8: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

8. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | Freshman | 2013-14 KU Rank: N/A

Mykhailiuk arrives in Lawrence unique among KU players. He's the only Jayhawk to have played in a professional basketball league, and he's the only Jayhawk to have played in FIBA's World Cup of basketball. In case there are still questions as to how Mykhailiuk could have played in the Ukranian League while still retaining his eligibility, he never signed a contract, never got paid above "necessary expenses" and the NBA has since abandoned the playing with pros rule that nukes a player's eligibility*

*I believe said rule only applies to basketball, but I could be wrong.

Mykhailiuk stands 6'6", so the fact that he has just a 6'6" wingspan is negated a bit. He's been an inefficient scorer for the Ukrainian U-18 and U-16 teams, though I think that has more to do with the quality of his teammates than any knock on Svi. His jump shot has been lauded from scouts, NBA teams, and everyone under the sun. At 6'6", he will be able to get his shot off, and could emerge as Kansas's floor spacer.

Mykhailiuk will have some adjusting to do to American basketball, but he has played with professionals so that adjustment will likely be smoother than people think. He will be 17 for his entire Freshman season, so I don't expect him to get a ton of playing time or be a go to guy on offense, and as is usually the case with Bill Self his defense will likely determine how much playing time he gets.

He certainly has looked good on defense at times when I have seen him. His wingspan and slight frame can get him into trouble, but he has really quick feet and can get out on shooters while being able to recover if they try to drive by him. Conner Frankamp's transfer could mean Mykhailiuk ends up as the backup 2 guard before exploding on the scene in 2014-15.