2017-2018 BYU hoops........

[HBCoug]

I would think Mika's name should need to be showing up on some mock draft lists in the next 2-3 weeks for it to make any sense to come out early. Still nowhere to be found on those.

Doesn't sound like it matters where he shows up in the mock drafts.

[KillerDog]

Doesn't sound like it matters where he shows up in the mock drafts.

I think a bunch of players, Eric included, were frustrated with their lives immediately post season and are now gaining perspective and understanding.

[BlueK]

Doesn't sound like it matters where he shows up in the mock drafts.

I don't think he leaves school just to make $25k a season to play in the D-league. If the feedback he gets tells him that's where he likely lands, I think he comes back.

[Topper]

I don't think he leaves school just to make $25k a season to play in the D-league. If the feedback he gets tells him that's where he likely lands, I think he comes back.

That makes no sense. If he does that, you have to question his advisors.

[BlueK]

That makes no sense. If he does that, you have to question his advisors.

What doesn't make sense? No one should leave college eligibility on the table to go to the D league.

[cougjunkie]

What doesn't make sense? No one should leave college eligibility on the table to go to the D league.

Mika should. He will develop more in the D-league playing against fringe NBA talent than he will at BYU. He is a sophomore in college but played against Aaron Gordon, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jahlil Okafor in high school. Gordon is entering his 4th year in the league! His family has money, his age is going to be a huge factor against him, I think you leave get on an NBA teams radar and go develop in the D-league. The $25,000 is more than he made at BYU and again his family can support him, that is not an issue.

Of course selfishly I want him to come back. And sure he could come back and play himself in to a higher pick but I think a year in the D-league does more for him.

[Crockett]

Mika should. He will develop more in the D-league playing against fringe NBA talent than he will at BYU. He is a sophomore in college but played against Aaron Gordon, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jahlil Okafor in high school. Gordon is entering his 4th year in the league! His family has money, his age is going to be a huge factor against him, I think you leave get on an NBA teams radar and go develop in the D-league. The $25,000 is more than he made at BYU and again his family can support him, that is not an issue.

Of course selfishly I want him to come back. And sure he could come back and play himself in to a higher pick but I think a year in the D-league does more for him.

I don't know about that, man. Seems like trying to stand out in the D-league enough to get called up is a lot riskier than looking for a breakout year in college and being on the ESPN family regularly, even if entering the draft one year older. Very few make it out of the D(reams-go-there-to-die)-league.

[BlueK]

I don't know about that, man. Seems like trying to stand out in the D-league enough to get called up is a lot riskier than looking for a breakout year in college and being on the ESPN family regularly, even if entering the draft one year older. Very few make it out of the D(reams-go-there-to-die)-league.

I think one great year can get him into at least 2nd round draft territory where NBA teams seem to try to get their picks to make a roster at least for a year. If he does that, he makes more money in just one season with the NBA minimum than he would in several years in the D-league as an undrafted free agent, even if he develops more there than in college. And he can still develop in college.

I went to a D-league game this year in Frisco, TX. It's the team Kyle Collinsworth plays for. He didn't play the night I went. It was very un-entertaining basketball -- sort of pickup style: the guy who rebounds the ball takes it all the way to the hoop kind of thing. On every play. No defense. No teamwork.

There was a decent crowd in the smallish arena -- probably half to two-thirds of the crowd were kids and no one was really watching the basketball. On the floor on both ends there were bouncehouses and games going on for kids, which is what most of them seemed to be more interested in. To me, for a guy wanting to play pro basketball I would think it would feel somewhat depressing as a player, but I don't know. Maybe they're happy to still be playing and getting a modest paycheck for it while not quite ready to give up on the NBA dream. KC could do better, but IMO, he's in the D-league instead of making more money in Europe because his wife is finishing up her degree and track career in Provo.

[Topper]

I don't know about that, man. Seems like trying to stand out in the D-league enough to get called up is a lot riskier than looking for a breakout year in college and being on the ESPN family regularly, even if entering the draft one year older. Very few make it out of the D(reams-go-there-to-die)-league.

Look how much good standing out as MVP did Jimmer. I don't see any benefit in going to the D League, unless you are drafted and the team wants to get you some playing time. Mika, absent guaranteed first round money, should return to BYU one more year.

[cougjunkie]

Look how much good standing out as MVP did Jimmer. I don't see any benefit in going to the D League, unless you are drafted and the team wants to get you some playing time. Mika, absent guaranteed first round money, should return to BYU one more year.

Yeah didn't work out for Jimmer, only signed a contract with the Knicks.

In 2017, 38 players were called up from the D-league to the NBA.

If you think he can develop in to a second round pick in one more year at byu, he can develop in to a free agent pickup through the D-league. Let's not pretend the WCC is better than the D-league.




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[BlueK]

Yeah didn't work out for Jimmer, only signed a contract with the Knicks.

In 2017, 38 players were called up from the D-league to the NBA.
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38 over the course of a season is not very much. And then you have to consider of those, how many were only 10-day contracts? Essentially all. The NBA uses the d-league as a quick way to fill out the last place on the roster when someone gets hurt. The d-league will still be there even if Mika doesn't go pro just yet. A chance at being drafted with the money that goes with it will not still be there if he comes out and doesn't get drafted. Jimmer went from borderline second round pick to lottery pick. That's a lot of money he would not have earned coming out a year earlier.

[Eddie]

Yeah didn't work out for Jimmer, only signed a contract with the Knicks.

In 2017, 38 players were called up from the D-league to the NBA.

If you think he can develop in to a second round pick in one more year at byu, he can develop in to a free agent pickup through the D-league. Let's not pretend the WCC is better than the D-league.




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David Locke used to say that if you're sure you're going to play professionally, and you know you'll be picked up by a team at least s a development project, then it's a no-brainer to leave school early.

His argument was that in college the amount of time you can spend with the coaches is limited, and some of your time is taken up dealing with classes, homework, etc. On the other hand, once you leave school you can get a lot more practice and working with coaches in as compared to when you're in college.

The only thing I would disagree on, is that in the NBA at least, they have so many dang games that are so close together I'm not sure how much you really get to practice. Sure - you can also improve by playing games. But if you need developing, you probably aren't playing much, and that limits development. You can get with coaches and assistant coaches all you want, even on game days. But then you're limiting most of your development to individual stuff versus working on situational/scrimmage stuff.

Anyway - I guess I'm saying I can see arguments for either staying in school or making the jump both having some merit.

[BlueK]

David Locke used to say that if you're sure you're going to play professionally, and you know you'll be picked up by a team at least s a development project, then it's a no-brainer to leave school early.

I think by this he means picked up by an NBA team. Someone who isn't good enough for that and is just filler on a d-league roster may as well stay in school and get the degree. The d-league will still be there. I think even Locke would say that, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Eddie]

I think by this he means picked up by an NBA team. Someone who isn't good enough for that and is just filler on a d-league roster may as well stay in school and get the degree. The d-league will still be there. I think even Locke would say that, but maybe I'm wrong.

He used to say it about both college players and high school players. He would simply say that the professional league is better at developing players than any college can be.

I'm guessing that he would still say that players can better develop by leaving the limitations of school. I'm not sure how he feels about d league filler players. Unfortunately, we aren't talking about a player who thinks he is d league filler.

[tooblue]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...-return-school

If he really is a mid second round pick per the linked article, my advice is don't hesitate—enter the draft Eric.