Second-year Nets G Egor Demin is already too good for the NBA Summer League

Watching former BYU basketball star and NBA Draft Lottery pick Egor Demin tear the NBA Summer League circuit to shreds has me feeling again.

After a freshman season in Provo that was so uneven, it felt like I was compelled to rave over the smallest highlights, the briefest glimpses of excellence, and the most minuscule morsels of stardom from BYU's 5-star international point guard.

It feels great seeing this Cougar alumnus inflicting his will upon the lesser talents around him at the Summer League, and it seems like a sophomore leap is certainly in order for the physically rebuilt, technically enhanced version of Egor Demin.

He clearly added muscle to his frame after the whispy guard was forced to rotate around the three-point line as a rookie, rarely making the voyage to the paint in fear of being knocked off course by bigger, stronger players who patrol that range. With his increased muscle, Demin has made it a point to put pressure on the rim, attacking natural mismatches on the perimeter (Demin stands at 6'9", despite being a guard by nature), and forcing defenders to stay honest as he curls around ball screens and knocks down the three-ball with delicious reliability.

Watching this former Coug dominate at the Summer League level is a fantastic indicator for what he may be capable of at the NBA level in his second year.

One look is all it takes before you recognize that this is not the same Egor Demin who left BYU basketball after his freshman season; our boy has grown into a man, and we couldn't be more proud.

Just take a glance at his stats through three Summer League appearances, averaging above 20 points, inhaling rebounds like stuffing at the Thanksgiving table, and adding some enticing defensive impact with a handful of steals plus a block.

And while the three-point efficiency is a little wobbly to this point, his diet of inside shots are a very promising indicator that he'll be afforded more space to get open three-pointers away as a sophomore.

Beyond increased rim pressure, Demin's cranked the wrench on his ball-handling ability -- it's tighter than ever, as he power-dribbles between his legs, keeping the ball away from would-be thiefs, and maintaining control as he collides with opponents of all sizes in the paint.

All eyes on Egor, and his passing ability makes him twice the weapon for the Nets Summer League squad as antsy defenders collapse in to help off the ball, only to quickly learn that helping off-ball leaves you compromised on-ball. Whip, catch, shoot.

Yes, it's only the Summer League, and most of the players Demin is facing during this offseason circuit won't ever meet him again on an NBA court, but the Nets are looking for consistency with their young star out of BYU, and it seems they've found just that.

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