It's Official -- Eric Mika = Gone

For those who haven't followed the will-he-won't-he thread, he did:


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Well, I hope the best for him. Thanks for your time here at BYU.

I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out. Well, those hopes are dashed. Sorry to lose such a talented guy. It will be impossible to replace his talent and energy. The world keeps turning.

Ddawg wrote:
I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Farewell Erik. I was hoping for another year, but I enjoyed watching you while you were a cougar.

That's a lot of talent lost. I hope somehow it can be compensated for.

snoscythe wrote:

I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

mormonrasta wrote:

Ddawg wrote:
I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

The NBA probably wouldn't be too happy if they spent a pick on a kid who then decided to go back to college.

hawkwing wrote:

snoscythe wrote:

I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

The NBA probably wouldn't be too happy if they spent a pick on a kid who then decided to go back to college.

It actually worked that way for a couple of years back in the 90s I think. It was actually to the NBA's advantage because per NBA rules, the player could never be drafted again once he entered the draft once. So a player could come out a year early and be taken in the second round, have a monster year in college where he would be a first round pick, then the team would offer a second round contract and the player could do nothing about it except choose to go to Europe, whereupon the NBA team would keep his NBA rights indefinitely. When the NCAA realized that's what was happening, they changed the rule to what we have now where the player has to declare to come back before the draft.

BlueK wrote:

mormonrasta wrote:

Ddawg wrote:
I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

The NBA probably wouldn't be too happy if they spent a pick on a kid who then decided to go back to college.

It actually worked that way for a couple of years back in the 90s I think. It was actually to the NBA's advantage because per NBA rules, the player could never be drafted again once he entered the draft once. So a player could come out a year early and be taken in the second round, have a monster year in college where he would be a first round pick, then the team would offer a second round contract and the player could do nothing about it except choose to go to Europe, whereupon the NBA team would keep his NBA rights indefinitely. When the NCAA realized that's what was happening, they changed the rule to what we have now where the player has to declare to come back before the draft.

Wow, that really sucks for the kids!

mormonrasta wrote:

Ddawg wrote:
I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

I'd be thrilled to get Mika back for a year or two.

nuk13 wrote:

snoscythe wrote:

I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

I'd be thrilled to get Mika back for a year or two.

Mika could have gone undrafted and he still wouldn't have returned to BYU. He had no desire to come back at all.

hawkwing wrote:

mormonrasta wrote:

Ddawg wrote:
I was holding out hope Mika would not sign with an agent - so he could come back if his draft didn't work out.

He either had to be in or out. The NBA only gives them until the 24th of May to decide if they are in or out. He can't go into the draft without an agent and then go back to college if he doesn't like the result.

Which is a shame. I wish the NCAA would allow players to come back to school if they don't like their draft position. I understand it would be a hassle for coaches to have to hang tight for an extra month, but most would be thrilled with getting talented players like Mika back for a year or two.

I'd be thrilled to get Mika back for a year or two.

Mika could have gone undrafted and he still wouldn't have returned to BYU. He had no desire to come back at all.

what was the full story here? Sure seemed like he was determined to leave.

I'd also like to know why he wants to leave. Is this a big secret? I assume something needs correcting.

What has Rose, or BYU basketball in general, done in the last 10 years to make think Mika think his stock will go any higher than it is right now after his showcase against Gonzaga?



I don't blame the kid for striking while the iron is hot. I think it's a pretty scathing indictment of the lack of player-development within the program that a kid could leave early for Europe over staying in the program.

He was playing with 3 high school teammates AND his high school coach, and STILL couldn't wait to leave. This is why Rose should be fired.

snoscythe wrote:
What has Rose, or BYU basketball in general, done in the last 10 years to make think Mika think his stock will go any higher than it is right now after his showcase against Gonzaga?



I don't blame the kid for striking while the iron is hot. I think it's a pretty scathing indictment of the lack of player-development within the program that a kid could leave early for Europe over staying in the program.

I've thought a couple times that the Gonzaga game was probably the worst thing to happen in retaining Mika. Really put him on the radar.

I think Mika pretty much always had this in his head. I suspect to coaches and teammates he told them he was all in but in reality he had his own agenda. Why do I think this?

1) While his high school teammates went on missions first, Mika chose to play hoops. If he was set on a LP3 dynasty he would have opted to go on his mission first (assuming he was worthy) to maximize the LP3.

2) When he announced he was going into the draft he made some apology to his teammates about not sticking to the plan or something like that. So, clearly they discussed the idea of playing together.

3) Despite the apparent discussions he declares for the draft.

If what Sno, Gunk and Mars are indicating has truth to it, it may be time to look at the coaching. I appreciate what Rose has done for BYU but we are getting pretty much the same thing every year. With some variation, we finish 2nd or 3rd in the conference and one and done in the NCAA. For the first time in a few years, we had an inside game with 2 very good players there so we didn't have to rely so much on the unreliable 3 point shot. If we are going back to mostly 3 point shooters then I repeat my first line. With Mika gone how good will our rebounders be at getting the ball back after missed 3 pointers?

Some guys have different motivations. Mika's is to play at the next level and feels like moving is the best step. It didn't sound like he had any doubt that was what he was going to do. That's not Rose's fault. Plenty of guys leave early for the NBA whether they should or shouldn't. Holding Rose to the standard that he needs to convince guys to stay through 4 years of eligibility or he should be fired is BYU-centric antiquated thinking.