Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk was a good pick

The Los Angeles Lakers nailed a pair of non-lottery picks last year. Did they do so again in selecting Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk in the 2018 NBA Draft?

The Los Angeles Lakers struck gold last season, getting a pair of players at the tail end of the first round that were immediate contributors from day one. Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, selected 27th and 30th respectively, should be key parts of the Lakers’ success this year.

This year in the draft, the Lakers only had one first round pick, used on Moritz Wagner out of Michigan, but they also had the 39th pick, used on Isaac Bonga, and the 47th pick courtesy of taking on Jose Calderon‘s contract two summers ago. They used that pick hoping to strike gold outside of the lottery once again, selecting Kansas wing Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk.

Mykhailiuk came to Kansas from Ukraine as a highly-touted prospect, yet was never able to fully deliver on that hype in his four years in Lawrence. He became a reliable rotation player for the team, and by his senior year started all 39 games for the Jayhawks.

With the draft more than a month in the rearview mirror, we know the contours of the L.A. offseason — LeBron James joining the team, the other veterans added in free agency, the Lakers dominating NBA Summer League yet again before falling short in the championship game. With that added perspective, here’s why Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk looks even more like a good pick.