BOSTON — Svi Mykhailiuk was swarmed by his former teammates as he finally received his 2024 NBA championship ring. Mykhailiuk was in town as his Jazz faced the Celtics on Monday as the guard got his reward for last season.
Mykhailiuk was a reserve guard for the C’s last season and one of the rare members not to return this season. But he got a guaranteed deal with the Jazz in the next step of his NBA career. Speaking pregame Monday from the Jazz locker room, Mykhailiuk summed up his overall Celtics experience with one word in particular.
“Winning,” Mykhailiuk said. “A lot of winning. I feel like that’s the main memory. Just being part of the team, doing everything the right way. At least trying to do everything the right way, and togetherness of the team.
“I’m pretty sure this year it’s the same way. Everybody cares about winning. Nobody is really trying to get their personal stats or whatever. Everybody is playing together and everybody is standing together, so you win games. Joe (Mazzulla) would just say every game is going to be something different. So I feel like they embrace it and it helps them a lot.”
It’s a different experience for Mykhailiuk, 27, now with the Jazz as he’s on a rebuilding team. He’s one of the oldest members of a young, rebuilding Utah team that’s struggled through a tough season. That’s the opposite role in a seasoned, contending C’s squad. The Jazz are 15-50 after Monday’s loss to the C’s, dropping their sixth straight game, though they made it an interesting game late.
But, as a result, it’s also a different reality for Mykhailiuk. Utah coach Will Hardy said the guard commands the respect of the locker room and coaching staff because the work he puts in behind the scenes. Mykhailiuk is averaging 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27 games for the Jazz this season, so his role has fluctuated throughout the season. But Mykhailiuk has taken it in stride, Hardy said.
“He’s such a smart player,” Hardy said. “He’s very competitive. He’s a good teammate. I think his experience after being in this environment is really helpful for our young players because he has seen and felt where we wanna go. Our young players are very receptive when Svi talks because of the work he puts in.”
Mykhailiuk soaked in all he could during his season with the Celtics. He said it was a valuable experience being able to watch his former teammates up close on their way to the title. Those Celtics also showered him with love pregame in a show of appreciation as Mykhailiuk gets to go into the history books as an NBA champion.
“I would say that the chemistry of the team and how everybody is supposed to approach the basketball game on the court and off the court,” Mykhailiuk said. “Those little details make the team better and make the team more together. I think that’s what every team needs to learn if they want to go to the Finals and win a championship. I feel like it’s those small details that I can tell young guys because obviously our team is very young.”
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