The freshman season of Egor Demin was anything but straightforward. After being fired from a cannon in BYU's first game of the season against Central Arkansas -- a game where he leapt into top 5 consideration in the upcoming NBA Draft by racking 18 points and 11 assists -- Egor sharply cooled down against stiffer competition.
Excepting the occasional strong performance, much of the Moscow native's output left plenty to be desired. Poor shooting nights, though his playmaking ability remained strong, sent Demin on a bit of a slide throughout the year.
From mid-to-late lottery position, to many believing the freshman standout may fall to the tail end of the first round, Demin's descent was equal parts frustrating and baffling for those keeping a close eye on his development.
But there's still plenty of reason for optimism, as I stated in a recent mock draft on Egor's NBA prospects:
"Egor’s story followed a similar narrative to that of his team, where a slow start was gradually and carefully built moment upon moment. His feel for the game is extraordinary, and his size gives him parascopic vision to see over defensive coverage with an eye in the sky. On regular occasions, he proved capable of launching cross-court rockets through the flailing arms of the opposition that somehow hit their targets in the shooting pocket with a gentle touch.
His scoring troubles have turned many away, however, and his inability to find a consistent 3-point shot for the majority of the year was a concern. His lack of upper-body strength would force him to take awkward fallaways at the rim and ill-advised bombs from 3-point land when he couldn’t get to the paint off the dribble. His confidence matured with the season, though, and he displayed moments of inspiration in attacking the rim with confidence, knocking down the occasional long-range release, and (of course) helping after helping of stunning dimes."
In most mock drafts, Egor currently sits in the late lottery range, with extremists discarding him to the endless pits of the 20s.
But if recent NBA draft behaviors persist, I find it hard to believe that very many teams could pass up on a player boasting such great potential. Egor is a mystery in the field of available players. A unique position with his guard skills and 6'9" frame, while boasting the finest passing touch of anyone we've seen at his age in a very long time -- if ever.
Decision-making, strength-stacking, and scoring touch are all question marks surrounding the young guard, but when it comes to whether or not he'll get a fair shake at the highest level, I lean positive on his potential, especially after seeing his excellent play in March.
Still, another season of Egor at BYU could be revolutionary, as he would have the chance to team up with AJ Dybantsa in what projects to be one of the best teams in the school's history. Would a sophomore Egor display NBA-level ability with improved consistency? Almost certainly, and his experience as a student-athlete at BYU has drawn tremendous levels of positivity, but risking another collegiate season when he'd certainly be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft is a risk.
With every year older, his perceived potential plummets in the eyes of NBA executives. If he returns to Provo with little visible improvement, he could find himself in serious trouble.
So whether he commits to his professional career, or another season in Provo, Egor Demin's got plenty on the line this offseason.