as much if they had stayed at BYU, verses leaving for overseas? Criddle seems to think they developed better over seas. I think he's right. HOWEVER, I think the real issue may be "Visibility" vs. "Development". I also noticed something else interesting.

Neither Mika nor Bryant seem to have developed new skills over seas. Mika is still a rebounding, rim protecting machine who can run the floor. He didn't learn to play facing the basket. He didn't develop a killer 3 point shot.

Bryant is still a pure shooter with decent size but not great athleticism (in NBA terms). He still may struggle with on the ball defending.

I feel like neither of these guys got a fair look when they first came out of college. They are getting it now and the skills we all saw at BYU are shining through. So, the issue of development is, while important, maybe not as big as visibility. In other words, there are simply too many good players for them all to get significant minutes in summer league etc.. The players have to have something in their favor that gets them the minutes on the court. For whatever reason, Mika and Bryant are getting their shots this year when neither of them got a good shot the year or two before.

Would that have happened had they stayed at BYU? Impossible to know. I'm glad they are getting a shot now.