BYU has offered international 2024 PG Egor Demin

BYU is looking overseas to bolster its roster. Most recently, they have their targets set on NBA-level talent in Russian point guard, Egor Demin. Demin has most recently played for Real Madrid U18 in Spain.

Demin is a mystery for many American hoops fans, and you shouldn't blame yourself if you are just hearing about this prospect. His 247Sports page won't tell you anything about him, so please allow me to introduce you to one of the more fascinating players on Kevin Young's board.

Egor Demin was born in Moscow, Russia in 2006, and is now 18 years old (if that doesn't make you feel old, I figure nothing will). He's been spending his time with Real Madrid's U18 team and making a great impact with his squad, leading to significant NBA Draft buzz. He's currently rated as a top 3 point guard in the 2025 draft class, according to nbadraftroom.com.

He's at his best with the ball in his hands, as he's a gifted ball handler and distributor, with great touch on his jumper. He's surprisingly quick with his handle and has a great first step which helps him get past his defender and finish at the rim with a gentle kiss off the glass. He's shown he can whip passes into tight windows at frightening speeds and has great court vision paired with a willingness to share the ball with his teammates.

Demin is big for a guard, standing at 6'7". He's sneakily athletic, but don't expect him to be throwing down any windmill slams in transition. His positive attributes project him to be a 1st-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Illinois and BYU are the first schools to offer the guard, and it sounds like BYU has had an interest in Demin for a while now.

Coach Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks have been rumored to show interest in obtaining Demin's talents, and it's very likely that more big-name schools will be hoping to lure Demin's talents to their campus.

International prospects often come with plenty of naysayers and doubters who like to question whether talent overseas can really translate to the American game, though this is becoming less and less the case as European stars dominate the modern NBA. Still, though, taking a chance on an international prospect is a risk, no matter how talented they seem--there's a reason why players like Luka Doncic fell behind the Marvin Bagleys of the world.

Despite the uncertainty, Demin looks the part of a transformational piece for a program like BYU and would be a great chance for Kevin Young to make good on his promise to make BYU a legitimate stepping stone for pro-level talent to prepare for NBA basketball.

This season with Real Madrid, Demin has averaged over 13 points per game and 4 assists among fierce competition. Expect to hear Demin's name brought up frequently in the coming months, and keep your fingers crossed that he arrives in Provo--he'd be a huge pickup.

More BYU Cougars News: