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A few minutes after he met with reporters Wednesday afternoon at the Marriott Center Annex and answered questions about why he has put his name into the NBA Draft, BYU sophomore center Eric Mika walked downstairs and began putting up shots at the school's new basketball practice facility.

Moments later, Mika and a couple of his teammates — Jamal Aytes and Elijah Bryant — closed the automated curtain so the court could not be observed from the media viewing area where the Cougars' best player from the 2016-17 season had just finished answering questions.

Symbolic, in my mind.

After listening to Mika for about 12 minutes Wednesday, gauging his tone and watching his body language, I'm of the opinion that he's played his last minute of basketball for BYU.

The curtain has been drawn on the Eric Mika era at BYU, it appears.

Of course, no one is certain what Mika will do after he goes through the process of working out for NBA teams across the country, not even the big guy himself.

If he doesn't get invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago May 9-14, that would be a big blow to his prospects. He has until May 24 to pull his name out of the draft.

Mika sidestepped my question about what he needs to be told by NBA teams to make the decision easier.

"I just hope to do as well as I think I can," he said. "And then I don't think that is really something I can say right now. There is still a lot to be done, a lot to be analyzed. When we get to that point, we can decide."

My take: If he's told he will be a first-round draft pick and get the accompanying guaranteed contract that first-round picks receive, he will almost certainly leave BYU. If he's told he'll go in the second round, he has a huge decision to make, but I still think he leaves.

If he's told he probably won't be drafted, he will probably return to BYU, but that's not a certainty, either.

By the way he talked Wednesday, I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone no matter what.

One reason I feel that way is because he didn't immediately rule out playing overseas, which will likely happen if he isn't drafted.

"It is hard to say," he said. "There is a lot to do before that decision will be made. But that is an option [playing overseas] and obviously we are aware of that and we will just kinda have to go with the flow, see what happens and then we will go from there."

I sat next to a couple of NBA scouts on press row who were there to exclusively watch Mika back on Jan. 14 when the Cougars were playing at San Diego. Mika had 11 points and 15 rebounds, but he was outplayed by USD's 6-foot-7 junior Cameron Neubauer, who went 4 of 5 from 3-point range in USD's 88-75 upset win. I overheard one scout saying to the other that Mika might not be mobile enough to play the stretch four position at the next level, the position Mika said Wednesday he sees himself playing in the NBA.

"I think with this year, like I said, I was blessed to have been here, and had the season that I had, which once again, still looking back, I wonder how I did it, because I didn't have these kinds of expectations for myself," Mika said. "I know that NBA teams are watching. I know that scouts are watching and I have definitely turned heads this year. So that's a good base to build on, but I think what sets me apart is what I have been doing all year, but now they will get a closer look at it, which I think will be an advantage for me. … I don't think anybody is really NBA-ready. You look at the draft picks for how many years now, and a lot of them are 18- 19-year-old kids that aren't quote-unquote NBA ready. But a lot of it is potential and a lot of it is what can you do for us a in a couple of years, or in a year, with the right development? And so that's what I am looking forward to as well."

As for moving from the five spot (center) that he played this year at BYU to the four (power forward) in the NBA, Mika said: "I would guess so. I am not some NBA analyst. But just because of my size and how I play, I think that my skills will be best utilized and developed if I am playing the four and can spread the floor a little bit. … Once again, there is still a long process to go through, a lot to think about. My athleticism, my quickness, my shot are things I am going to be working on, but were also things that were maybe underestimated this year. Because I did play with my back to the basket. I played as a big man, a true five in college. I am not going to be perfect at all these things. I am going to try and improve them and show more potential than people realize. That's my hope. I think it will work out."

Mika was asked if he will still be "excited" if he does return to BYU.

"Yeah. Of course," he said. "Once again, long process, a lot of things to think out and weigh and see how it all works out. Life is all about those options, and so that would definitely be something high on my options list, I guess you could call it. And in the case that something happened and I did come back, obviously I would love to be here and just improve, get ready for the next year."

Finally, someone wanted to know if Mika has a "dream" NBA team he would like to join.

"I don't want to jinx it," he said. "I grew up in Boston. Still have family there. Loved going to Celtics games. That would be awesome. Playing for the Jazz would be awesome. A lot of my family is out here. I think it is unfair to pick one team, because any team would be a dream."