Former BYU Basketball Star Egor Demin Selected 8th Overall by the Brooklyn Nets

On Wednesday, former BYU basketball point guard Egor Demin was taken 8th overall by the Brooklyn Nets. In the mock drafts leading up to the draft, Demin was projected to go in the late lottery or in the 15-20 range. Instead, Brooklyn saw the value in Demin and selected him with a top-10 pick.

Demin becomes the first BYU player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft since Jimmer Fredette. Demin has great upside as a passer in the NBA. His 6'9 frame allows him to make passes that most point guards can't.

When BYU basketball guard Egor Demin arrived at BYU, he was already a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. After a year in Provo, Demin maintained and even improved his NBA Draft profile.

After a few days at the NBA Combine, Demin was "on the rise" according to a post from NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock. "Word is circulating here in Chicago that BYU’s Egor Demin is on the rise," Babcock wrote. "He measured well, and while I’m not usually a big fan of pro days, Demin looked great in his today. It feels like he might be peaking at the right time.

Demin got off to a great start to his true freshman season at BYU. After a minor injury kept him out a few games, however, Demin struggled to get back into a rhythm as conference play tipped off. Demin slowly got better and better throughout the year. He played his best basketball in the NCAA Tournament, helping BYU reach the Sweet 16 for just the third time in program history.

Demin has rare size and length at the point guard position and his passing ability is his chief strength. His shooting, however, was inconsistent at BYU. If he can prove he is capable of improving as a shooter, he could have a long, successful career in the NBA. According to reports, Demin shot it well at the NBA Combine.

In the NBA where there is better spacing than in college, Demin's skillset is intriguing. If he can improve his shot off the dribble, he has the potential to be a starting point guard for a long time in the league.