Egor Demin was one of the biggest surprises in the 2025 NBA Draft class. Not because he was good out of the gate -- he was a top-10 pick, after all -- but because of how he had transformed his game from a poor-shooting jumbo distributor at BYU to a deadeye sniper with the Brooklyn Nets.
After shooting well below 30% as a freshman, Demin notched a sizzling 38.5% clip from distance in his rookie season. Still lacking in physicality, the former Coug was frequently knocked off the ball or forced to maintain a hesitant approach to offense with the ball in his hands. Despite the enticing beginning to his career, it was clear that Demin had plenty of work left to do before he was ready to become a primary option at the NBA level.
Now, just one day into the NBA Summer League, though, it should be safe to say Egor Demin is taking another step in the right direction as a sophomore.
From his first moments on the court, he's shed his spindly exterior for a much more sturdy frame. Demin added some muscle in the offseason, and that's apparent at a glance. With this added strength, he's taken it upon himself to be less reliant on his three-pointer to ignite his offensive motor.
With a quick step to get his hips past the defender, Demin utilizes his size and position to stave off the opposition's flailing contest and finds himself with an easy finish off the glass for two. This is a move he's used several times, pairing it with a variety of instigating maneuvers like a pump-fake, jab step, or off-beat lunge to the rim.
Once he finds his notch and can pin the defender to his back, Demin holds plenty of size to float a shot gently off the glass, open the door for a baseline cut, or simply finish at the rim himself.
This is an aspect of his game we didn't see much of at BYU -- with any reliability, anyway -- using his size and newfound strength to enact his will on the defense.
Of course, his three-pointer is as rock-solid as ever, as he can shoot on the move, off the dribble, or off the catch with ease. His jump shot always looked great at BYU, with a high release point and a velvet follow-through, but he couldn't find the consistency with the Cougs.
It's commendable to see just how far he's come with a year of NBA training beneath him.
Egor finished his first Summer League outing with 23 points and 7 rebounds.
strong start to the summer for @whoisegor3 https://t.co/ynrBzflOI6 pic.twitter.com/OuToVBbObB
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 5, 2026
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