Exclusive: Vsevolod Ishchenko's Mavericks toughness comes from an unexpected source

When watching Dallas Mavericks wing Vsevolod "Seva" Ishchenko play, one of the biggest things that stands out right away is the fight that he brings to the court. Ishchenko is always making plays on the ball, giving 110 percent effort on defense, and playing with a level of physicality that isn't typical for a rookie who hasn't stepped onto an NBA court yet and has spent his entire career overseas.

This has already become his identity in Dallas after his Summer League stint, and he makes a significant impact even when he isn't filling up the stat sheet. Players who already play like this at a young age are winning players, and he already looks like a huge steal from the end of the second round.

Vsevolod Ishchenko's father was an amateur boxer

This tenacity that Ishchenko plays with didn't come overnight, though, and it comes from an unexpected source that a large majority of Mavs fans haven't heard about yet. Seva grew up in Russia, and his father, Igor Ishchenko, was an amateur boxer as an 18-year-old in Tambov, Russia. He finished with a record of 1-1-1.

It's easy to see the influence that Igor had on his son, as the 6-foot-8 wing plays with a level of physicality that you can't teach. He's unafraid to guard anyone, no matter how much taller or stronger they are than him, as shown by his strong defense on Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer last week in Dallas' third Summer League game.

Seva used his strength, grit, and 7-foot wingspan to contain the former Duke Blue Devil, and his length is one thing that he credits to his father.

"Just genetically, I have his long arms," Seva told The Smoking Cuban. "So that's a little bit help me."

Seva's impact goes way beyond the box score

While Seva admitted that his offensive game came with some early growing pains, he knows that he can make an impact in other ways on the court as well. Most players at Summer League are always looking to fill up the stat sheet, but not Seva.

"Every player will want to score, everybody tried to show yourself," Seva said. "But for me, sometimes when I feel difficulties with making shots, I try to feel the game, like other ways. Like feel some contact on defense, rebound, assist, and from this, I can get my confidence back and feel good."

Mavs Summer League head coach Joe Boylan knows that Seva is gifted genetically from his father and his brief boxing career, but he thinks this connection could be even deeper than that.

"There's a level of toughness and a level of physicality that he's probably seen at a young age and has obviously embraced himself," Boylan said during a conversation with The Smoking Cuban. "Where he comes from and his upbringing, and coming over to the United States, and really having that pride in his physicality. He's showcased that well."

Seva said that his father picked up boxing to add a level of discipline to his life, and it's easy to see the influence he had on his game.

"He just every time support me," Seva said. "My parents, my sister, everybody in my family, every time tries to support me, no matter what happens, bad or good."

This support from his family helped him turn into one of the best young basketball players in Russia, and Mavericks fans are already seeing what makes him so special. Seva finished Summer League strong with 15 points, three rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block against the New York Knicks over the weekend, showing how dominant he can be when he's at his best.

Seva's competitiveness should help him stick in the NBA

His shooting, passing, and finishing around the bucket all stood out at the end of Summer League, but at the NBA level, his defense, connectivity, and energy are going to be what keep him on the court. Seva plays extremely hard, and he takes pride in this.

"I just try my best every time," Seva said. "Defense, you don't need skills to play on defense. Just the desire. You are trying to predict what will happen next."

Boylan recognizes the intensity, fight, and physicality as well.

"Seva's a competitor," Boylan said. "He really likes to take on the challenge defensively. He's not afraid of a physical confrontation. He loves crashing the offensive glass and boxing out, diving on the floor for loose balls, all the little plays. All the things you think about when you think of a tough, hard-nosed player, he's shown that over the first three games of Summer League...He's a really physical, tough player."

Seva played as hard as anyone on the Mavs during Summer League, and Boylan believes that he has what it takes to stick in the NBA. Some late second-round picks never touch an NBA floor, but Boylan believes that Seva will be different.

"I think he has those intangibles," Boylan said. "I think he's a very eager learner. He's very hard on himself. He has high expectations. He wants to be great. He comes in early and stays late. He puts the work in, he seeks out feedback. Those are the characteristics I've seen in the past as being really important for guys that are maybe a little bit underrated or under the radar. Their success often predicated by how badly they want it and how much work they're willing to put in."

Seva's journey to playing in an NBA game starts now, and he could even end up earning a two-way contract with Dallas if he sticks around during training camp and performs well. He clearly has the intangibles of a player who deserves minutes in an NBA rotation, and thanks to his upbringing and his father's under-the-radar boxing career, he has an excellent foundation to build upon.

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