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The Brooklyn Nets took BYU guard Egor Demin with the No. 8 pick in Wednesday's 2025 NBA Draft.
Demin had a brief stint in Real Madrid's youth system before opting for the college route. The Russian international spent one season at BYU, playing for former NBA assistant coach Kevin Young. He made the Big 12 All-Freshman first team after the Cougars finished third in conference play and were ranked as high as No. 13 in the AP Poll. Demin averaged the third-most assists in the Big 12.
The 19-year-old surged up draft boards after an impressive showing at the NBA combine.
Bio
Position: Guard
School: BYU
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 199 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-10
Max vertical: 32 inches
2024-25 statistics at BYU:
| GP | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | REB | AST | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 41.2 | 27.3 | 69.5 | 3.9 | 5.5 | 10.6 |
Demin may be the most gifted passer in this draft. It's rare to find a player with his physical profile who's capable of whizzing cross-court passes - with either hand - into a shooting pocket. He processes the game extremely quickly, and the ball hums when Demin is on the court. Although not explosive, Demin is a fluid athlete who gets to the rim fairly frequently. His jumper is a work in progress, but the mechanics were much improved at the combine.
NBA comparison: Josh Giddey. Demin has a similar frame and some of the same flaws as the Bulls playmaker: They're both big playmaking guards who aren't self-creators. Demin's shooting mechanics are much smoother than Giddey's, and a lot of his misses come from unpolished footwork rather than poor touch. Demin's inability to turn his hips quickly has resulted in some difficult moments on defense. However, he has great instincts and uses his size effectively as a help defender.
