Svi Mykhailiuk recollects championship run with Celtics

BOSTON — After the Celtics’ Monday night time win over the Utah Jazz, Jayson Tatum gleefully ushered Svi Mykhailiuk into the Celtics’ locker room.

The Ukrainian guard — the latest recipient of the Celtics’ championship ring — instantly embraced former teammate Sam Hauser, who had simply scored a career-high 33 factors.

The remainder of the Celtics had been thrilled to see the Jazz guard again in TD Backyard’s house locker room. Jrue Vacation broke into a smile, as gamers lined as much as embrace the one member of the 2023-24 who signed with a distinct staff within the offseason.

5 months after the Celtics acquired their championship rings, Mykhailiuk’s was lastly his because the Jazz made their lone journey of the 12 months to TD Backyard.

Derrick White, who turned one among Mykahiliuk’s closest buddies on the roster final 12 months, stated the reunion was a welcome one.

“Good to see him, as an individual,” White stated. “After which, clearly, for him to get the ring — it’s cool for him to have that second.”

Mykhailiuk by no means turned a family title in Boston; he averaged 4 factors a recreation and appeared in precisely half the video games within the Celtics’ common season.

Nonetheless, he performed an necessary position as a member of the Keep Prepared group final 12 months, earlier than efficiently cosplaying as Luka Doncic at observe through the NBA Finals.

So, Joe Mazzulla, who doesn’t like speaking about opposing gamers, made an exception when requested about Mykhailiuk pregame.

“He goes into that class of the group of fellows that would actually affect profitable,” Mazzulla stated. “On nights while you don’t have your guys, his means to step in — he received video games for us, and he received stretches, runs. I believe that’s enormous.”

“It’s necessary for that group of fellows to know that they’ve had an affect on profitable — and also you see that’s one of many strengths of this staff now.”

One in every of Mykahiliuk’s highest-profile moments got here on the Celtics’ championship parade, when he donned a “Boston Svi Get together” hat, and raucously celebrated on the identical float as Derrick White.

Mykhailiuk spoke to reporters earlier than Tuesday’s recreation between the Celtics and the Jazz, and mirrored on that thrilling June day.

“It’s somewhat blurry,” he stated with a smile, earlier than disclaiming he was solely kidding.

Then, extra critically, he acknowledged the parade was a blessing that almost all NBA gamers by no means get to expertise: “I’m lucky to be part of it. It’s a extremely, actually unreal expertise. I want everyone might expertise it — particularly within the metropolis of Boston.”

On Monday, Mykahiliuk lastly acquired his championship ring, surrounded by his former teammates and after a Jumbotron presentation that rapidly ran by a few of his finest moments as a Celtic.

He dapped up his former teammates at heart court docket, together with Al Horford’s son Ean, and embraced Joe Mazzulla and the opposite assistants, earlier than returning to Utah’s finish of the court docket to organize for tip-off.

Then, in 23 minutes in opposition to the Celtics, he recorded 8 factors, 4 rebounds, and a couple of assists.

Mykhailiuk stated he’s stayed in contact along with his former Celtic teammates. He reached out to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to congratulate them once they had been named NBA All-Stars, and, most just lately, to Derrick White and Payton Pritchard once they recorded new profession highs: “I really feel like we had a extremely tight circle.”

What he remembers most from his stint with the Celtics is unsurprising.

“Lots of profitable,” he stated with a chuckle. “That’s the principle reminiscence. Simply being part of a staff — doing all the pieces the fitting approach.”

The Celtics completed the 12 months 64-18, received the Japanese Convention by 14 video games, and rattled off a 16-3 postseason report en path to the title.

He recalled his confidence within the staff’s championship probabilities growing when the Celtics acquired Jrue Vacation through commerce throughout coaching camp.

“I felt like after we obtained Jrue, it felt like our probabilities had been increased,” Mykahiliuk stated. “I wouldn’t say it was, like, inevitable — however it felt like we obtained a extremely good probability.”

Svi Mykhailiuk has emerged as a vital veteran voice for the Jazz

It’s onerous to increase a profession as an NBA journeyman, however Mykhailiuk has managed to do it. He’s been within the league since 2018, and has performed for eight groups throughout that span. He’s seen his minutes and alternatives fluctuate all through his profession, solely averaging greater than double-figures as soon as and switching groups mid-season thrice.

This season, he has solely appeared in 26 of 65 video games however has nonetheless been a stable contributor when within the rotation, averaging 9.4 factors per recreation.

His means to be prepared when his quantity is known as is a mentality that routinely impressed Mazzulla final 12 months.

“I believe that’s a part of the explanation why he’s continued to form of keep in [the NBA],” stated the Celtics coach. “And I believe that’s huge.”

Mykhaliiuk’s various position — coupled along with his championship pedigree — helped make him a reputable voice within the Jazz locker room.

“He can go 5 video games with out enjoying, after which he begins, and I believe that his professionalism reveals up in these moments,” stated Jazz head coach Will Hardy.

“It’s a extremely good instance for the remainder of the younger gamers — that simply because in a sure second you’re not getting what you need, it’s a must to proceed to organize to play, and put together such as you’re going to play 35 minutes. And Svi does that each day — he fashions actually, actually good conduct for our younger gamers.”

Mykahiliuk signed a four-year, $15 million contract with the Jazz final summer time and has relished the position he’s carved out in Utah, although he acknowledged it’s been a change to go from being one of many youngest gamers on the Celtics to one of many oldest on the Jazz. Mykhailiuk and fellow ex-Celtic Jaden Springer are the one Jazz gamers with NBA championship expertise.

“It’s very thrilling,” he stated. “Clearly, I get to play with the younger guys, educate them, give them my expertise, what it’s been like, and what we obtained to do to get higher and attain our full potential.”

So, what stood out most to Mykhailiuk from his 12 months with the Celtics?

The reply is one the Celtics routinely echoed all through their title run — and proceed to take action as they appear to go back-to-back this season.

“If you wish to win, you bought to sacrifice — in some methods enjoying time, in some methods stats,” he stated. “No matter it’s, there’s at all times gonna be sacrifice if you wish to go to the subsequent degree and attain your objective.”