Egor Demin could be surging at the perfect moment for his NBA Draft stock. In front of scouts, general managers, and other executives from across the NBA, BYU's Russian point guard is raising eyebrows -- and likely his draft stock.
For a freshman point guard who entered and exited his collegiate experience through different doorways, it's a good indicator that Demin has arrived as a legitimate lottery prospect after a season with BYU.
His passing ability has always been a certainty, as Egor's radar is constantly aware of the right pass, the open man, and the perfect setup to keep the offense rolling, but his remaining resume left plenty to be desired at the next level. Now displaying his skill set and flexing his potential before his suitors, this Moscow native has given the NBA reason to pay attention.
Displaying body control, physicality, and strong ball handling for a player his size, Egor fits the prototypical mold of a jumbo playmaker. A player capable of operating a team's offense while also standing tall enough to essentially bird's-eye a defense to analyze in a way that typical point guards (around 6'3") are physically disadvantaged by comparison.
Of course, at the NBA Combine, most exercises are more about a player's raw ability rather than how they perform at game speed. Egor was battling himself in these drills, though many of his biggest hesitations seemed minimal when the time came to see his capabilities.
His dribbling package looks tighter and more under control than we saw during his time at BYU, where he was often rigid and upright more often than he took the attack to the defender. Here, he's remaining low to the ground, pounding the basketball and keeping it out of reach. These are positive indications that he's beginning to improve in this respect.
His jump shot is the most eye-opening adjustment, though, and I'd be ignorant to let it slide. Egor is knocking down jumpers in his workouts, and that's the most potent improvement to his game. Entering BYU, Demin was an inconsistent shooter, and saw that truth eviscerate his confidence as he missed 20+ 3-balls in a row across weeks of competition.
Here, his shot looks fluid, easily-replicable, and soft at the rim. The building blocks have always been present, despite shooting under 30% from long range as a freshman. A gentle flick of the wrist and high release point are indicators of a dangerous tool at any level, and now that his lower body remains steady, we're seeing the ball touch nylon with greater consistency.
Knocking down 16 straight 3-pointers in 35 seconds is certainly a positive indicator that this jumper is anything but broken.
Egor remains a polarizing prospect for many, and his detractors are very vocal, but as a player threatening to slide out of the lottery and into the 20s, Egor rebounded in the Draft Combine and may see himself rise because of it.