Egor Demin has taken some serious strides since his freshman days with BYU basketball. Now. coming off an excellent rookie season and approaching his second year with the Brooklyn Nets, Demin looks like an entirely different player.
Physically, he's added plenty of strength to his extra-tall frame -- a devastating development for perimeter defenders around the league who will be forced to match up against this 6'9" Russian -- and with that has come an intentional increase in rim pressure off the dribble. After being heavily reliant on his distance jumper as a rookie, Demin has worked through the offseason to improve his interior scoring arsenal, and he put it on full display in his 23-point Summer League eruption on the 4th.
strong start to the summer for @whoisegor3 https://t.co/ynrBzflOI6 pic.twitter.com/OuToVBbObB
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 5, 2026
Following this game, Egor touched on the leadership element of his role with the Summer League team this year. This is his second year running with the Nets' summer squad, and he views himself as a guide for the younger players still finding their way at the professional level.
"I don't want to say 'pressure' of being a leader, but kind of embracing the role of a guy who's spent a year in the NBA already. I want to take that role on myself. I want to be here and lead the team mentally, on the bench, and on the court as well. I just tried to do what I've been working on all summer. I think that's a great opportunity right now to get those habits in and get that work working before the regular season."
Directing the spotlight to his offseason adjustments, Demin shared what he aimed for in his second year of pro hoops.
"Drives, a lot of drives. Physicality. Obviously, keep working on my shot. Defense. Stuff like that."
"For us to get this experience of a last-second game, clutch experience, that's important for everybody."
Egor DÑ‘min talks about his 23-point, 7-rebound performance in the Nets' Summer League debut vs Sacramento in the California Classic. #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/qg5NcxZagw
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 5, 2026
He felt the biggest differences in his game was his ability to get to the rim, use his strengthened frame, and lean on his size advantages. If he wants to be much more than a stand-still jump-and-shoot guy, it'll be on him to magnify his effectiveness inside the three-point arc. He's clearly taking steps in the right direction.
Egor was the first in a new era of Kevin Young's "Provo-to-the-Pros" pipeline at BYU. It's exciting to see this spindly beanpole not only find a niche in the NBA, but expand his game beyond his natural strongsuit.
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