The praise for BYU's top NBA Draft prospect, 6'9" guard Egor Demin, has faded with every recent outing. He's struggling--especially against Big 12 competition--and that has those close to the situation becoming a bit concerned.
Demin's NBA skill has always been his passing ability. So comfortable sharing the ball, dropping pinpoint crosscourt pass with a dollop of tangy zip, and using his exceptional frame to find passing angles, manipulate openings, and set his teammates in a position to succeed.
That gift is still in his possession, and he would certainly find himself selected in the first round--likely in the lottery--if the draft started today.
But the draft isn't starting today. And with every poor performance, ugly stat line, and rim damage his jump shots inflict, the air in the Marriott Center becomes tense, uneasy, and outright uncomfortable. Is Egor actually ready for the NBA?
Well, we have several factors to consider before dooming Demin to the pit of ignorance. The first must address his game's inherent weaknesses. Shooting, scoring, and dribbling have all been soft spots in his hard Russian exterior, and while he handles double teams well, and is ever-capable of finding the open man, Josh Giddey comparisons indicate that rather than a Luka Doncic type of heliocentric playmaker, Demin's skillset is fundamentally flawed.
With every new iteration of an NBA mock draft, with every shaky result, and with every BYU loss, Egor is losing his grip on the cliff edge. Crumbling, eroding, disappearing from under his hands, Demin needs to act quickly before he finds himself plummeting.
Could a sophomore season be on the horizon?
Understandably, you may be appalled at the mere suggestion that a projected lottery pick would stick around for another shot to improve, but take a moment to consider it.
Demin's position in the draft lottery is not a certainty, and while older players tend to suffer in scouting evaluations, Egor could receive a huge boost in production by sticking around another season in Provo.
Egor projects better in an NBA-style system with better spacing, less unorthodox defensive looks, and serious perimeter threats in the corners, wings, and even running out of the paint. A great playmaker needs teammates prepared to finish the job--the NBA is stuffed with guys like that.
But if he can find some stability, continue improving his shot, and lifting teammates like Richie Saunders and Kanon Catchings, not many teams could deny his potential at the next level.
Rumors have circulated about Egor's plans at the end of the season. Could we see him paired up with AJ Dybantsa?