High above the three-point arc, Brooklyn Nets sophomore and BYU basketball alum Egor Demin catches a chest-high pass from the block. Left foot, right foot planted, he loads his shooting hand beneath the basketball and directs his eyes to the rim.
Before he's even lifted the ball for a pump-fake, the defender, Grayson Allen, already has his head down in an all-out sprint to bother a three-point look. Smart move; Demin hit 38.5% of his three-pointers as a rookie, and his 6'9" frame means that no guard will be deflecting his high-pointed release.
So Allen sells out.
Demin is unsurprised.
Like a revolving door, Egor slips right through the barrier. He pounds the basketball with just two dribbles before collecting possession and stretching his strides into the paint.
Demin elevates, and Ryan Kalkbrenner, the Hornets' 7-foot center to meet him. Kalkbrenner's hand nearly matches the height of the rim while standing on his toes. Airborn, he's an impassable wall. Calmly, almost casually, the Nets' guard wraps his hand around his back, flicking an acrobatic pass to a wide-open teammate under the rim.
Flush.
Egor Demin is going to be the biggest jump of any second year player in the NBA
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) October 7, 2026
Got thrown into a spot he wasn’t ready for last season but it really helped him grow up fast
There is no way he would have even tried this pass last season pic.twitter.com/jzRARBtVUe
It's beautiful basketball from a player who has spent the offseason rounding out his tool kit for the NBA game. As a teenage recruit with Real Madrid, Demin's size and passing ability drew interest from some major college programs. At BYU, his passing ability was his calling card. He read the court with masterful speed and precision, and even when he struggled to score the ball, his upside was hard to deny.
At the NBA Combine, he caught fire in shooting drills.
The Brooklyn Nets didn't hesitate to draft him 8th overall -- a bit of a reach in the eyes of many draft evaluators. Few questioned Brooklyn's draft-night decision when Demin became a knock-down shooter at his position.
But though his shooting numbers soared, his passing and self-creation took a significant dip as a rookie. He struggled to apply pressure to the rim, struggled to put the ball on the floor, and played virtually no time as the team's designated point guard.
After his first preseason game, however, it looks like passing virtuoso Egor Demin has returned.
5 assists and 6 points on 2-for-3 3-point shooting is a strong statline for Demin, who appeared in the starting lineup. And the praise for his NBA evolution is already building, suggesting that his increased strength and refined dribble-penetration ability could make for a huge sophomore leap.
Egor Demin looked awesome tonight. The continuously improving shot is huge because it forces long close outs which then leads to a lot of different types of drives for him.
— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) October 7, 2026
I thought his improved strength stood out the most though. Helped him finish through contact and hold his…
— NetsMuse (@NetsMuse) October 7, 2026
He was undeniable during the Summer League, posting three 20+ point performances while making it obvious that he didn't belong with the NBA hopefuls populating the Summer circuit. He's NBA-ready, more now than ever, and is gearing up for what will likely be his best season yet.
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