Boston Svi Party: Former KU guard Mykhailiuk a big hit at Boston Celtics title parade

Former University of Kansas guard Svi Mykhailiuk of the Boston Celtics thoroughly enjoyed Friday’s NBA championship parade, held in front of more than 1 million cheering fans in downtown Boston.

“Was yesterday real??? It really is different here (Boston). Shoutout to my guy Andy Mannix (facility manager) who tells me that every day,” Mykhailiuk wrote on social media site X, adding a shamrock for emphasis on Saturday afternoon.

Mykhailiuk — he played a total of 10 minutes over three games in the Celtics’ 4-1 dismantling of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals — in fact “won the parade” according to Celtics reporter Jay King.

King was impressed with Mykhailiuk’s floppy hat with the inscription “Boston Svi Party” on the front.

“Nah, the city of Boston won the parade, holy shhhh,” Mykhailiuk, a 27-year-old sixth-year pro who played at KU in from 2014 to ‘18, responded on X.

Friday’s city-wide celebration started in front of the Celtics’ TD Garden off Causeway Street. It then followed Staniford Street to Cambridge Street to Tremont Street to Boylston Street, before ending near the Hynes Convention Center.

Former KU forward Paul Pierce rode in one of the duck boats used to carry players in the parade. Pierce’s ride was reserved for members of the 2008 NBA champion Celtics team.

Duck boats are normally used for visitor tours in downtown Boston. The vehicles allowed fans to see the Celtics players without a chance of those players being mobbed by those fans.

“I don’t know what a duck boat is but I’m ready,” Mykhailiuk wrote before the parade.

Mykhailiuk — he averaged 4.0 points a game on 41.6% shooting (38.9% from 3) for the Celtics during the 2023-24 regular season — became the second player from Ukraine to win an NBA title. The Cherkasy native followed Slava Medvedenko, who won championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 and 2002.

“As everybody knows, there’s a war back home. I’m just trying to make my people proud and trying to bring joy back home,” the 6-foot-7 shooting guard told The U.S. Sun (the-sun.com) at the conclusion of Game 5, a victory that propelled the Celtics to the franchise’s 18th NBA title. Mykhailiuk displayed his country’s flag during the trophy ceremony after Boston’s 106-88 clinching victory on Monday in Boston.

“Man, it’s amazing. I’ve been in the league six years. It’s the best team I’ve been on. Best organization. It’s just a great experience. Surreal. Surreal,” Mykhailiuk added.

Mykhailiuk, who has played for seven teams (Celtics plus Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets), is an unrestricted free agent after the expiration of his one-year contract that paid him $2,346,614 in 2023-24.

The NBA title was the first for almost all the Celtics players. According to nesn.com, Jrue Holiday was the only player on the Celtics who had won a championship before.

Mykhailiuk during the parade shared a duckboat with teammate Derrick White.

“That was unlikely to be a coincidence, given that Mykhailiuk has previously said that White was his best friend on the team,” wrote Noa Dalzell of celticsblog.com.

Mykhailiuk is the 16th KU player to win an NBA title. Mykhailiuk became the eighth Jayhawk to play for head coach Bill Self to win an NBA title. He joined Wayne Simien (2006, Miami), Mario Chalmers (2012, 2013, Miami), Brandon Rush (2015, Golden State), Sasha Kaun (2016, Cleveland), Markieff Morris (2020, Lakers), Andrew Wiggins (2022, Golden State) and Christian Braun (2023, Denver).

The marks the third straight year a KU player has won an NBA championship (Wiggins, Braun, Mykhailiuk). Morris won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

Mykhailiuk — a second-round selection, the 47th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft (by the Lakers) — is one of six Jayhawks to win a title with the Celtics.

The others: Scot Pollard and Pierce (2008); Jo Jo White (1974, 1976); Maurice King (1960) and Clyde Lovellette (1963, 1964).