Multiple reports are saying that BYU’s Eric Mika has earned an NBA Combine invitation.
BYU center Eric Mika has been invited to the NBA Draft Combine, per multiple reports. The six-day event runs from May 9 to May 14 and will take place in Chicago.
BYU big man Eric Mika has been invited to the NBA combine.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) April 29, 2017
I'm told that BYU's Eric Mika has been invited to the NBA draft combine.
— Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell) April 29, 2017
The past two years the NBA invited 63 players each to the combine and usually about two-thirds of those players ended being selected in the NBA Draft. Mika is among multiple players who are going to the combine who also have not hired an agent. A player still has until June 12 to take their name out of the draft, but only those who have not hired an agent. Getting this invite does not mean he is officially saying goodbye to his BYU basketball career.
Mika getting going to the combine bodes well for his chances to become the first player drafted from BYU since Jimmer Fredette was a lottery pick back in 2011. Had he not earned an invite then heading back to school would have been the logical choice for his potential NBA career. Mika’s name came out after early lists that were trickling out on Friday and early on Saturday, and that could mean that some higher profile players declined to go to Chicago.
This does not diminish the invite but instead to provide context on Mika’s going to Chicago, because participating will allow him to showcase his skills against a group of players who likely will be drafted and also in front of every NBA team.
When Mika is ranked he is projected as a late second-round pick. ESPN’s Chad Ford is the highest on Mika by placing him 47th in his latest rankings and DraftExpress has Mika slotted as the 75th best player for the 2017 NBA Draft.
