Orlando Magic Linked To Darkhorse Draft Prospect With Josh Giddey Similarities

Despite sacrificing a lot of draft capital to acquire Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic successfully retained the 25th pick in the NBA Draft. With day one just one week away, draft prospect Egor Demin is gaining recognition.

The Athletic recently released anonymous opinions from executives, coaches and scouts on several prospects. Two executives and a college assistant weighed in on Demin, with the majority comparing him to Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey.

"I think he's a good player, the Josh Giddey-ish type guy," one coach said. "I think he's going to end up shooting it better."

"This kid can pass it and has size and can play in an NBA game because he can think on his own," a Western Conference executive said. "He doesn't need a script and look at it and has to learn it. He understands flow, who needs touches, and time management already. He's mature what he would be as a rookie."

"At worst, (he's Josh) Giddey, in that hemisphere of a clone," the executive added. "Overall, he may be getting a little undervalued."

Demin's ability to see the floor setup teammates is a key element Orlando can utilize. The acquisition of Bane helps on the scoring front, but neither he nor Jalen Suggs is a true facilitator at their core. Demin ranked 38th nationally in assists and is the only Big 12 freshman other than Tare Young to have 10-plus points and assists in his collegiate debut.

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