The NBA Summer League hasn't exactly been a hotbed for BYU basketball alumni in recent memory. Sure, the occasional graduated senior will break onto the scene for a brief stint on occasion, but as we've come to know it, the NBA is a relatively foreign region to those going through Provo.
That is, of course, until the recent renaissance since joining the Big 12 Conference. Plenty of credit is heading in the direction of Kevin Young for this rebirth. Deservedly so. He entered the captain's quarters of the BYU basketball program with the intention of delivering NBA-ready professionals to the highest level of the game.
And, to his point, he's certainly delivered on that promise. His recruiting efforts have been a masterstroke, as the school's unique and strict honor code has been a sticking point for non-LDS recruits when committing to a program. Concern over that detail is no more, as any player donning the royal blue comes to BYU with the intention of focusing on the game, their development, and building around a truly special environment.
But I believe Mark Pope's exodus has tarnished his reputation in Utah Valley a tad more than deserved, as before the current regime took over operations, his first season in a power conference delivered one of the best BYU teams in over a decade, entering the NCAA Tournament with a top-25 ranked roster in one of the nation's toughest leagues.
Now, we get to see some of the fruits of both eras in the NBA Summer League. Here are some familiar faces you should watch for when basketball heats up in Las Vegas.
Jaxson Robinson
Yes, Jaxson was one of Pope's defectors to Lexington, but many forget just how critical his scoring punch was to the team's success a year ago.
Robinson put his name in the NBA Draft conversation early on during his final year with the Cougars, knocking through a high rate of his three-point attempts on a release so buttery, it's a wonder how he ever held onto the ball.
His draft stock skyrocketed in the early season, but as his red-hot hand cooled off, so did NBA interest. From a mid-to-late first-rounder to a late second-rounder, to going undrafted altogether, Robinson withdrew from the draft before running it back one last time in Kentucky.
Kentucky’s Jaxson Robinson has agreed to an Exhibit-10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, I’m told.
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) July 2, 2025
The 6’6” wing shot 37.6% on nearly 7 threes per game this season.
Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and NBA Combine invitee in 2024.
Ranks 65th in the final DX Top 100. pic.twitter.com/Lct6mc05w5
His year at Kentucky was more of the same from his final stint with the Cougars, and he signed an Exhibit 10 contract (one year, non-guaranteed money) with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ready to lace up for their Summer League squad.
Egor Demin
The Russian put on a ballet most times he took the floor for the Cougars. Graceful, elegant, while not especially sturdy or powerful, his play during his lone year in Provo was devisive among draft analysts and experts.
Fortunately for Egor, Brooklyn really liked what they saw in his tape and workouts to the point of leaping at the opportunity to take him eighth overall. In my eyes, he's a worthy investment who could pan out to become one of the best players in this entire draft class if the pieces come together.
He's tall and long, but plays the point guard with a wicked vision for passing lanes. If his scoring output can steady out and his handle can tighten, as I would expect it to with enough effort, Egor may become one of the best distributors in the game.
We'll get our first taste of Egor in the pros with the Brooklyn Nets Summer squad.