The Ukrainian national basketball team is expecting reinforcements from across the ocean: which NBA stars will join this summer

Statement by the representative of the Basketball Federation of Ukraine

According to Главком: Volodymyr Drabikovskyi, the general secretary of the Basketball Federation of Ukraine, commented on the potential involvement of players with NBA experience in the national team. He confirmed the agreement that Sviatoslav Mikhailiuk will join the team in July. The situation with Oleksiy Len is still unclear, and Maksym Shulha will not be able to help the team due to an active disqualification.

Players' game statistics

In the 2023/24 season, Sviatoslav Mikhailiuk, playing for Utah, participated in 49 NBA regular season games. On average, over 23 minutes on the court, he scored 9.2 points, had 2.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.5 steals. Oleksiy Len switched to Real Madrid at the beginning of the season, where he played 34 games in all competitions. In the Spanish Liga Endesa, his average stats were 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 0.5 steals per 13 minutes. Maksym Shulha is listed in Boston’s roster, but his NBA statistics are modest: 0.5 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists on average in less than two minutes of playing time.

The Ukrainian team has already played several matches in the qualifying round for the 2027 World Cup. For Eastern European teams, this tournament is an important stage in the fight to reach the global level. In the first round, they achieved a victory over Georgia, and in the second round, they convincingly defeated Denmark 88:71. However, in the third round, the team lost to Spain 78:64. In that match, the scoring distribution among Ukrainian players was as follows:

• Lukashov - 6 points
• Kovlyar - 11 points
• Tkachenko - 4 points
• Voinalovich - 12 points
• Skapintsev - 4 points
• Lypovyi - 8 points
• Bobrov - 7 points
• Zotov - 0 points
• Pustovyi - 3 points
• Tytyshnyk - 7 points
• Shelist - 2 points
• Sushkin - 2 points

Volodymyr Drabikovskyi noted: 'I can confirm the information about the agreement - Mikhailiuk will be there in July. Regarding Len, there is no confidence. He responds in a way that suggests he is not against playing, but not right now. Shulha will appear if he resolves his issues. He has problems. He has been banned and won’t be able to play for the national team until he resolves this issue. But he has a strong desire; he is an extremely positive guy.'

The arrival of players familiar with the world's strongest league can significantly strengthen the Ukrainian national team on the international stage. Sviatoslav Mikhailiuk, as one of the leaders, hopes to help the team this summer, while the participation of other stars depends on their personal circumstances. The team has already demonstrated good potential in the qualifying matches, and to progress further, they need the most talented players.

With the return of Sviatoslav Mikhailiuk to the NBA, his team Utah couldn't avoid defeat, which underscores the importance of his participation in the Ukrainian national team. Despite this, the player shows decent stats, which could become a crucial factor in the upcoming matches. For a more detailed analysis of his game and impact on the team, read the material on Sviatoslav Mikhailiuk's return to the NBA.