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 newest 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 have been thrilled to see the Jazz guard again in TD Backyard’s dwelling 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 unique workforce within the offseason.
5 months after the Celtics obtained their championship rings, Mykhailiuk’s was lastly his because the Jazz made their lone journey of the yr to TD Backyard.
Derrick White, who turned one in all Mykahiliuk’s closest associates on the roster final yr, 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 identify 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 vital position as a member of the Keep Prepared group final yr, earlier than efficiently cosplaying as Luka Doncic at follow 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 men that would actually impression successful,” Mazzulla stated. “On nights while you don’t have your guys, his potential to step in — he received video games for us, and he received stretches, runs. I feel that’s enormous.”
“It’s vital for that group of men to know that they’ve had an impression on successful — and also you see that’s one of many strengths of this workforce now.”
One in every of Mykahiliuk’s highest-profile moments got here on the Celtics’ championship parade, when he donned a “Boston Svi Occasion” 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 severely, he acknowledged the parade was a blessing that the majority 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 may expertise it — particularly within the metropolis of Boston.”
On Monday, Mykahiliuk lastly obtained his championship ring, surrounded by his former teammates and after a Jumbotron presentation that rapidly ran by means of a few of his finest moments as a Celtic.
Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
He dapped up his former teammates at middle 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 towards the Celtics, he recorded 8 factors, 4 rebounds, and a pair of assists.
Mykhailiuk stated he’s stayed in contact together with his former Celtic teammates. He reached out to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to congratulate them after they have been named NBA All-Stars, and, most just lately, to Derrick White and Payton Pritchard after 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.
“Loads of successful,” he stated with a chuckle. “That’s the principle reminiscence. Simply being part of a workforce — doing every part the fitting approach.”
The Celtics completed the yr 64-18, received the Japanese Convention by 14 video games, and rattled off a 16-3 postseason file en path to the title.
He recalled his confidence within the workforce’s championship probabilities rising when the Celtics acquired Jrue Vacation by way of commerce throughout coaching camp.
“I felt like after we obtained Jrue, it felt like our probabilities have been greater,” 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 essential veteran voice for the Jazz
It’s arduous 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 strong contributor when within the rotation, averaging 9.4 factors per recreation.
His potential to be prepared when his quantity is known as is a mentality that routinely impressed Mazzulla final yr.
“I feel that’s a part of the rationale why he’s continued to form of keep in [the NBA],” stated the Celtics coach. “And I feel that’s large.”
Mykhaliiuk’s various position — coupled together 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 feel 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, you need to proceed to organize to play, and put together such as you’re going to play 35 minutes. And Svi does that on daily basis — 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 yr 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 all the time gonna be sacrifice if you wish to go to the subsequent degree and attain your objective.”
