Trent Plaisted is leaving for a different type of mission, but he's stuck to the code that BYU coaches appreciate of all their athletes coming and going -- no surprises.

Not particularly surprised, either. And definitely not bitter at the way the Plaisted went from announcing he'd entertain thoughts of the NBA draft April 10, then officially concluded his college career Friday. He was up front with his plans the entire way, several Cougars said.

"We knew that Trent was pretty excited about pursuing the opportunity and he really felt like his best chance was to have representation and a guy who knows all the NBA general managers and other key figures," BYU associate head coach Dave Rice said. "And (an agent) could give him all the opportunities needed. But Trent has been great at keeping us informed, asking questions and we're very happy for him. There's absolutely no animosity on our end."

Plaisted will continue to train in the Los Angeles area with prospects, under the supervision of former UCLA standout Don MacLean. Bartelstein said that a familiar Plaisted opponent the past couple of years, New Mexico graduate J.R. Giddens, is also in that posse. Plaisted's next destination is Orlando, Fla., as the end of the month, as he'll most likely be invited to the pre-draft workout next week.

BYU feels good about the big men that remain, and it's arguably the deepest position on the roster. Chris Miles was considered the best post defender and he should only improve now that he's actually had time to get ready for the season, rather than jumping right in after returning from a mission last summer.

Redshirt freshmen James Anderson needs weight, but he might have been the most improved player in the program during practices after also coming off a mission. Gavin MacGregor has potential, now he just needs better health than what forced him to miss all of last season with a foot stress fracture.

BYU's offense isn't contingent on Plaisted, but it does require a legitimate low-post scorer -- something for the returning guys to focus on.

"Trent has been a big part of our success over the past three seasons," head coach Dave Rose said. "His departure creates opportunities for other players, and we expect them to respond very well."

Plaisted is an intriguing prospect with his agility and ability to run the floor. Bartelstein believes his offensive game and strength must continue to improve but is optimistic his new client could be taken somewhere in the first round. ESPN.com's Chad Ford has agreed, though some draft pundits don't have him mentioned anywhere in the 60 total picks.

Bartelstein believes teams could find ways to use Plaisted as a power forward or center, particularly as an "energy guy."

Around 20 teams have already requested workouts, though it's unclear if the local Utah Jazz are among them.

Plaisted averaged 15.6 points and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per game as a junior and was a first-team All-MWC selection. His teammate, Lee Cummard (who is considering the draft but has not hired an agent), and Giddens were co-players of the year.

Rice has coached 13 future NBA players and said his advice to Plaisted was simple: Those he knew, who chose that path and were successful, met the challenge with all of their passion.

"I think (how BYU handled Plaisted's situation) sends the message that we are going to be very supportive, and we're not going to hold him or anyone in that situation back," Rice said. "We're going to be behind them."

Plaisted and his wife, Lacey, went to a couple of movies Friday. Their agency has provided an apartment, meal allowance and is covering training costs. Though he's been committed to Bartelstein longer, the official paperwork was signed yesterday morning.

Plaisted kept humble, though he did say another sense of adulthood -- besides being married -- surged through him as he took another step into the future.

"It's not really cause for celebration," he said. "I'm very fortunate to have good people in my family, a wife and BYU behind me, and now (Bartelstein). I'm comfortable with my position and where I stand, we've weighed the positives and negatives. It was a decision that needed to be made, and we made it. We're all in, and we'll go from here."

• Jason Franchuk can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it