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BYU Coach Has High Praise For Cougars' Star Before 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Toran Flores | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 4:07 PM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft kicks off next week, and coverage of the next group of basketball prospects has started to pick up.

Top prospects like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey have drawn most of the attention, but what about some of the lesser-followed players that will hear their names called on June 25?

One of those players is Egor Demin, a 19-year-old guard from Moscow, Russia, who has started to make a scene for himself with his 6-foot-9, 190-pound frame.

Demin played his only year of college basketball for head coach Kevin Young and the BYU Cougars.

The freshman guard was a consistent rotational player at BYU, making a name for himself with his large size and ability to facilitate the floor, playing at his own pace.

He drew national attention in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where he helped lead BYU to the Sweet 16 before being put out by Mark Sears and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Demin appeared in 33 games for BYU in 2024-25 and averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 41% from the field.

BYU head coach Kevin Young spoke highly of the tall guard from Russia, saying, "Outside of Dylan [Harper] and Cooper [Flagg], he has the most upside."

“Outside of Dylan [Harper] and Cooper [Flagg], he has the most upside," said BYU head coach Kevin Young.

Meet Egor Demin, the Cougars’ supersized playmaker, who’s worked out for teams all across the second half of next week’s NBA Draft lottery: https://t.co/gBlFhR5Ojc pic.twitter.com/gbuWlk1yt7
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 20, 2025

Demin has worked out for many teams throughout the pre-draft process, including multiple teams that carry lottery picks.

Although Demin raises concerns about his speed and shooting – having made just 27.3% of his three-point attempts during his freshman season at BYU – he has been praised as an elite passer with impressive court vision, especially given his size for a guard.

He's been invited into the green room for the NBA Draft in Brooklyn next week as he will wait to see what team he will begin his professional journey with at the professional level.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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