West Coast Convo’s WCC All-Freshman Team

Feb 20, 2014; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars forward

(00) grabs a rebound stares down a Gonzaga Bulldogs fan on the front row during the first half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Mika – Forward – BYU

Love him or hate him, Mika asserted himself as a force in the conference for years to come.

The Brigham Young fans probably loved the 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds that Mika averaged this season. From a non-statistical standpoint, Mika’s energy and passion is arguably second to none among players in the conference.

The Mika haters will most likely scoff and laugh at his shocking resemblance to the Dolph Lundgren character Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Also, this might have ticked off a few people around the conference as well.

Opinions aside, Mika’s talent is undeniable. Coming out of high school, where he won a national championship at Lone Peak, he was ranked as high as the No. 3 center in the nation. This season, while he didn’t dominate like some expected, Mika displayed a promising skill set that should just keep on getting better and better throughout his career.

Mika is serving an LDS mission in Rome, Italy the next two years, but his performance this season certainly gives Cougars fans something to look forward to in the future.