By Rigas Dardalis / dardalis@eurohoops.net
He was born four years after the death of the “Mozzart of basketball” and even though every comparison with him, seems like blasphemy, whoever saw him in U 16 Eurobasket, can testify the opposite. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk is the rising star of the Ukrainian basketball, being a 6-6 shooting guard with tremendous ability to score.
“Yes sometimes he looks like Drazen”, Sasha Volkov the best Ukrainian player of all times and now president of the federation said to Eurohoops. “ I catch my self to remember Drazen. Petrovic was an absolutely great player, but Mykhailiuk has more physical abilities. It means that if he’ll continue to work out and keep improving his skills, he will probably be a very serious player in the future”.
Mykhailiuk, though, has as a role model, a modern star of the NBA. “My favorite player is Kyrie Irving”, the 16year old player revealed. “It doesn’t matter that he is a point guard. I don’t care which position, I’ll play. I can make it as a “1”, as a “2”,, as a “3”, it doesn’t matter to me. Of course I have to improve many things. My technique, my defense, my rebounding”.
One thing is certain: After averaging 25,2 points per game (good for second in the whole tournament), he showed that he is already a gifted score. “For me this tournament was a big experience. It was very tough and the level of play was better, than the one in Ukrainian championship”.
Mykhailiuk belongs to Cherkasy Monkeys, but already many high schools in US have approached him, to move his talents in the other side of the ocean. “If somebody calls me, Ill go”, was his diplomatic answer in this matter.
According to Eurohoops sources, Real Madrid has expressed interest to acquire the talented player.