SNAPSHOT

A creative guard who brings an immense amount of height to his position, Egor Demin has tremendous upside as an NBA Draft prospect, and will tempt teams inside the top 10 with his unique player archetype and strong potential.

Standing an impressive six-foot-nine, Demin would be one of the tallest point guards in the NBA when he joins the top level, and if he can show improvement in his jumpshot in the early stages of his career, could have one of the biggest upsides in the draft class.

DRAFT PROFILE

Born in Moscow, Russia, Demin was immediately recognised as a promising prospect, and found success playing at junior level domestically. He was a part of multiple winning teams with Real Madrid as a teenager, signing a six-year deal at the club at just 15 years of age.

Following the 2023/24 season, Demin opted to head to the United States after receiving offers from several NCAA teams, eventually settling on the BYU Cougars. In doing so, he became the first five-star recruit to join the program in a huge moment for both him and the school.

Immediately elevated into the starting lineup, Demin showed exactly what he was capable of with a solid campaign that had glimpses of brilliance. He showed that if he can reach the peak of his powers and develop at NBA level, the upside is tremendous, which will increase his chances of being selected inside the top 10.

On the season, Demin averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks while shooting 41.2 per cent from the field, 27.3 per cent from three-point land and 69.5 per cent from the charity stripe in a perfect reflection of his strengths and weaknesses.

At his best, Demin was an elite playmaker who had excellent size at the point guard position and could hold his own defensively, and although he did have struggles with inconsistency at times, his ceiling was certainly enough to encourage NBA scouts.

STRENGTHS

+ Playmaking
+ Positional size
+ Defence
+ Movement off the ball

IMPROVEMENTS

- Shooting
- Ability to create own shots

As a player, Demin's one-wood is his playmaking, boasting elite vision and tremendous execution to make life extremely easy for his teammates. Despite standing six-foot-nine, he has an excellent handle and rarely gives the opposition a chance to poke the ball, and he is always looking to dish off a creative pass.

At his size, there is no doubt he will have an advantage over his opponent and if his immediate defender is shorter (which is likely), it will open up his already elite vision. If the other areas of his game can develop, his size will make him a unique player with star potential.

As a defender, his size comes in handy as well, using his frame and wingspan to put pressure on the ball handler. His timing on poking the ball free is clearly a natural skill, while his lateral quickness allows him to stay in front of his opponent consistently.

The biggest area he must improve is his shooting, and that is perfectly demonstrated in his low efficiency from beyond the arc this season. His shooting mechanic is not quite there yet, but if he can develop this and add another bow to his game, it will make him a more complete and dangerous player.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Top 15

Although not a lock to go top 10 as it stands, NBA sides will be undoubtedly intriguing to teams around this mark for his positional size and excellent upside. If he can develop his shooting and shot creation, he could be a steal if he slides towards the pick 15 mark.