Laker Film Room: Svi Mykhailiuk is already turning heads with his shooting

I attended most of the pre-draft workouts for the Lakers this year, and no prospect generated more buzz in the building than University of Kansas marksman Svi Mykhailiuk. His outside shooting wowed the team, and the historic signing of LeBron James has placed an even higher premium on Mykhailiuk’s greatest skill.

He’s hit the ground running at the California Classic in Sacramento, going 3-6 from 3-point range in his debut before cooling off Tuesday when he shot 2-8 from deep. His ability to stop on a dime in transition will serve him well on Lonzo Ball’s hit-ahead passes, while his quick stroke and feel for relocations are compatible with James and Rajon Rondo in half-court situations.

Let’s take a closer look:

The next step of Mykhailiuk’s development as a shooter involves learning how to use what the defense is doing against them. He allows defenders to overplay him on the high-side and tries to fight through the overplay instead of countering it with a back cut. Improving those techniques will cause him to get a higher volume of 3-point attempts. He’d be wise to spend his free time studying tape of Klay Thompson, who could teach him a lot about how to manipulate defenders and get open at the NBA level.

Mykhailiuk has a golden opportunity to carve out a niche in a Lakers’ rotation that is trying to win this year but currently a bit heavy on shot-creators while being a little light on snipers to spread the floor for LeBron and others. If his first two games are any indication, he’s well on his way.

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