Egor Demin, the Russian beanpole out of BYU with the audacity to play the point guard position despite his 6-foot-9 frame, now appears at the judgment seat of the basketball elders to await his fate.
Likely filing into the NBA Draft green room at this very moment with his friends and family, this foresight-flowing, freewheeling distributor has divided scouts, analysts, and experts alike in projecting his potential as an NBA point guard, secondary playmaker, or something altogether new.
Attempting to project Egor's future often feels like trying to carry a vat of Jell-O. One could secure bits and pieces by mindlessly swiping at it, but you'll only get the full picture by putting him in the right container. That container being the team that selects him tonight.
For better or for worse, Demin's draft night suitor could dictate the direction of his development. The first steps of a grueling journey are often the most challenging, and for a player like him to scrape his proverbial ceiling, his evolution will likely need to be handled with patience and wisdom.
So yes, his landing spot on draft night may turn out to be rather important. Any questions?
Where will Egor Demin land in the Draft order?
Depending on who you ask, most mock drafts will have Egor falling somewhere in the 10-20 range. Yeah, he's polarizing, as some question his shot-making ability and others question how well his handle may project to dealing with pesky NBA defenses.
But anyone who takes the bad while ignoring the good does Egor a severe disservice, as he's likely the most intelligent and talented passer in the draft class. Though the shot hasn't always fallen in game, during workouts his jumper has proved to be far from broken. Adding strength to his frame could make him a fascinating defensive disruptor candidate, and on top of all that, his personality and mentality would slot perfectly into just about any locker room in basketball.
That may all go out the window if he enters a situation where the team doesn't prioritize his growth, giving him opportunities and setting him up for success in real-game scenarios will be critical to tap into his buried potential. Joining a squad that doesn't care (or possess the patience) to bring him along slowly may find themselves in the darkest possible Demin timeline.
I expect Egor to fall to the late lottery: between picks 11 and 14. The teams that own said picks are, in order:
11. Portland Trail Blazers
12. Chicago Bulls
13. Atlanta Hawks
14. San Antonio Spurs
For me, the best landing spot in this jumble would be San Antonio; a team with a rich history of developing foreign players and enough veteran depth in the backcourt to show him the ropes in the crucial opening stages of his development.
Landing on a team like Portland (always a jumble in their backcourt) or Chicago (perennial mediocrity) could lead to a less-than glamorous NBA career.
That said, I could be dead wrong about Egor. Though I believe in his upside and fear the growing pains, he may be one of those players good enough in the NBA to flourish regardless of his circumstances.
No matter what the future holds for this former Coug, I'm anxious to see where the next stop of his journey will take him.