Max Shulga Bio
Maksym Shulga (Ukrainian: Максим Шульга; born June 25, 2002) is a Ukrainian professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he plays on a two-way contract with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 209 pounds, Shulga is a guard who developed his game in Spain before starring in U.S. college basketball at Utah State and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In the 2025 NBA draft, he was selected with the 57th overall pick by the Orlando Magic before his rights were traded to Boston, launching his professional career in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Maksym Shulga was born on June 25, 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he grew up before leaving home as a child to pursue basketball abroad. At the age of 11, he moved to Spain to study and play organized basketball, enrolling at Colegio Leones in León. Three years later, at 14, he relocated to the Madrid area to attend the Basketball School of Excellence in Torrelodones, a program known for developing international prospects.
Shulga spent his formative teenage years training in Spanish basketball academies, competing in youth leagues, and adapting to a faster and more physical style of play. His development in Spain helped him secure a college recruitment path to the United States, and he ultimately committed to play NCAA Division I basketball at Utah State. The combination of European fundamentals and American college experience shaped the well-rounded guard profile that professional scouts would later evaluate.
Path to Basketball
Shulga’s path to high-level basketball began in Spain, where he transitioned from local youth programs in León and Madrid to a structured academy environment at the Basketball School of Excellence. The academy in Torrelodones provided him with daily high-level coaching, strength training, and competition against other top European prospects, which prepared him for the demands of American college basketball.
His breakthrough into the U.S. system came when he committed to Utah State, marking his first season in the Mountain West Conference. After one season he followed his head coach, Ryan Odom, in a transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) of the Atlantic 10 Conference, where his production increased and his role expanded. Across his college career, Shulga consistently averaged double figures in scoring, posted strong rebounding numbers for a guard, and served as a primary playmaker, laying the foundation for his professional future.
Max Shulga Career
Early Career at Utah State
Shulga began his college career at Utah State, where he quickly established himself as a versatile guard. As a junior, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and four assists per game, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference recognition for his well-rounded contributions. His passing, size, and perimeter scoring were central to the Aggies’ backcourt rotation.
Following the season, Shulga’s head coach at Utah State, Ryan Odom, departed the program. Shulga subsequently entered the NCAA transfer portal, signaling the next step in his development. His decision to follow Odom set the stage for his most productive college years at VCU.
VCU Breakthrough (2023–2025)
After transferring to VCU, Shulga immediately became a focal point of the Rams’ offense. In his first season with the program, he was named first-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference after averaging 14 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, demonstrating consistent scoring and playmaking. Despite that production, he briefly entered the transfer portal again and committed to Villanova before ultimately decommitting and returning to VCU.
In his final collegiate season, Shulga elevated his game to a career-high 15 points per game to go with 5.9 rebounds and four assists. He was again a first-team All-Atlantic 10 selection, and he was also named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. He led the Rams to both the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season title and the 2025 A-10 tournament championship, securing the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. VCU won 18 of its final 20 games to earn a No. 11 seed, where the Rams were eliminated in the first round by No. 6 seed BYU.
Boston Celtics Era (2025–Present)
Following the end of his college career, Shulga was one of 75 players invited to the 2025 NBA draft combine in May 2025. He was selected with the 57th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic, and his draft rights were subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics. On August 7, 2025, the Celtics signed Shulga to a two-way contract, formally beginning his professional career.
To start the 2025–26 season, the Celtics assigned Shulga to their NBA G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, allowing him to gain regular professional minutes and continue his development. As a two-way player, he is expected to split time between the G League and the NBA roster while adjusting to the speed and physicality of professional basketball.
Driving Style and Strengths
Shulga is a 6-foot-4 combo guard whose game is built on size, vision, and efficient perimeter scoring. He reads defenses at a high level, using his frame to finish through contact and his footwork to create space against bigger defenders. His background in European basketball has given him strong fundamentals, while his college experience showcased an ability to operate as both a primary scorer and a lead playmaker.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Shulga’s career include his Atlantic 10 Player of the Year award in 2025, back-to-back first-team All-Atlantic 10 selections in 2024 and 2025, the 2025 A-10 tournament championship, and his selection as the 57th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The path from Kyiv youth basketball to Spanish academies, then to Utah State and VCU, and finally to the Boston Celtics organization marks a notable rise through multiple basketball systems.
Max Shulga Career Wins
Shulga’s most prominent team victory came during the 2024–25 season, when he led VCU to the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season championship and the 2025 A-10 tournament title. He was also a central contributor during the Rams’ late-season run of 18 wins in 20 games, which secured an NCAA tournament berth.
VCU Highlights
Across his two seasons at VCU, Shulga helped the Rams capture an Atlantic 10 regular season crown and the 2025 A-10 tournament championship, the program’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament. He was named first-team All-Atlantic 10 in both of his seasons with the program and was recognized as the conference Player of the Year in 2025.
Other Wins & Performances
At Utah State, Shulga earned honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference honors in his lone season with the Aggies, averaging 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and four assists per game. His earlier development in Spain also included youth-level training at the Basketball School of Excellence in Torrelodones and Colegio Leones in León.
Max Shulga Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Detailed information about Shulga’s parents and family is not publicly available in verified sources. He grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine, before moving to Spain at age 11 to continue his basketball development.
Personal Life
Shulga’s personal and family life remains largely private. He is known to have grown up in Kyiv and to have trained in Spain during his teenage years, but specific details about a spouse, children, or current residence are not publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Shulga’s 2025 was defined by one of the most productive college seasons of his career and a successful transition to professional basketball. At VCU, he led the Rams to the Atlantic 10 regular season title, the 2025 A-10 tournament championship, and an NCAA tournament appearance, earning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors along the way.
After the college season, he was invited to the 2025 NBA draft combine, was selected 57th overall by the Orlando Magic, and had his rights traded to the Boston Celtics. On August 7, 2025, Boston signed him to a two-way contract, and he was assigned to the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League to begin his professional career.
Looking ahead, Shulga is expected to spend the 2025–26 season developing with the Maine Celtics while remaining available to the Boston Celtics. The two-way contract gives the organization flexibility to call him up as needed, and his combination of size, playmaking, and perimeter scoring provides a clear pathway to increased NBA minutes as he continues to adjust to the professional level.