photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) drives against Texas Tech guard Toddrick Gotcher (20) during the first half, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) drives against Texas Tech guard Toddrick Gotcher (20) during the first half, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas.

Sure, Svi Mykhailiuk might be in Europe this summer, training with and playing for his native Ukraine’s Under 20 national team. But when the 19-year-old guard spoke earlier this week at the 2016 adidas Eurocamp, in Italy, it sounded like his Kansas coach, Bill Self, had just been in his ear.

DraftExpress.com caught up with the KU junior, who averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists at the Eurocamp, as he and his team prepared for the upcoming Under 20 European Championships, in Finland.

Asked how the stop in Italy went for Ukraine, ahed of the July 16-24 international competition in Helsinki, Mykhailiuk came back with a Self-esque response.

“I think we’ve got a good team, but
we’ve got a lot of work to do, because
on defense we’re not really great,”
said the 6-foot-8 guard, who clearly
has learned defense and toughness earn
players minutes back in Lawrence. “…
but we just need to get better on
defense and just talk more and (get a
feel for) each other more, because
we’ve just been practicing for 10 days
and you can’t do a lot of stuff in 10
days. You can’t learn all of this in
10 days, so we just need a lot of
time.”

Considered a first-round NBA Draft prospect for 2017 at this juncture, Mykhailiuk’s improving defensive skills showed up overseas. In the highlights provided by DraftExpress, “Svi” can be seen trapping hard on the wing, and swiping the ball away for a steal, as well as exploding through a passing lane for another takeaway, then finishing over a chasing defender at the rim.

According to the report, at one point a larger opponent tried and failed to post up Mykhailiuk inside.

“For me, if you can’t play defense you
can’t play basketball, so I’m just
trying to play defense, and offense
just comes naturally,” Mykhailiuk told
DraftExpress. “If you can play good
defense it gives you a fast break on
offense, and it’s a basket. It just
depends on how you’re playing
defense.”

Ah, yes. Offense. That aspect of the game certainly still matters to the third-year guard, as well. So don’t worry about “Svi for three” turning into a passé phrase next season. Mykhailiuk, who scored a career-best 23 points in KU’s NCAA Tournament win over Austin Peay this past March, looked even more comfortable with the ball in his hands while wearing the yellow and blue of Ukraine.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) shoots in a 3-point basket in a first-round NCAA tournament game against the Austin Peay Governors Thursday, March 17, 2016 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA.

In the DraftExpress highlights, Mykhailiuk, who averaged 5.4 points in 12.8 minutes as a sophomore for the Jayhawks, looked more play-maker that spot-up shooter.

The 191-pound guard can be seen:

• pulling up to nail a 3-pointer off an opening tip.

• chasing down an offensive rebound and whipping a pass inside to set a teammate up for a dunk.

• on a couple of occasions leading the break and dishing ahead for a Ukraine dunk in transition.

• popping up to the top of the key and squaring up quickly to knock down a 3-pointer in rhythm.

• utilizing a pick-and-roll to assist his teammate for a layup.

• taking a handoff from a big man outside, then using the post player as a screener, giving him room to rise up for another successful shot from downtown.

• surveying the floor well enough to rifle a look-away pass over his shoulder that hit a cutting teammate at the perfect time to convert a layup.

• cutting hard backdoor for a basket in the paint.

• making the best pass available in transition situations.

Still, Mykhailiuk didn’t come anywhere near painting himself as some kind of star during his interview. Again, the team-first concepts instilled by Self and other coaches he has played for through the years, such as Ukraine’s Maksym Mikelson, shone through in his words.

“My role is to help my team win. You
know, do whatever it is to help,” said
Mykhailiuk, who likely will continue
to embrace that approach next season
as a sixth man for Kansas. “If you
need to take 20 shots, you take 20
shots. If you need to stay in the
corner and (shoot) none and your team
is playing good and they’re gonna win
by doing that, it doesn’t matter for
me what I’ve gotta do. I just want to
see my team win.”

When he returns to KU and begins his third season in Self’s program, Mykhailiuk doesn’t anticipate a gift-wrapped expanded role or automatic increased playing time, either.

“It just depends on me,” he said. “If
I’m gonna play good, I’m gonna play.
And, you know, like Wayne Selden left,
Brannen Greene left, so now I need to
step up.”

That sounds like something “Svi” has heard before — probably from Self.

— Watch the entire DraftExpress video below: