I started the season with a bang, and the second game I attended was in Provo, Utah, to check out BYU and their freshman star from Russia, Egor Demin. He blew me away—scoring 18 points, dishing out 11 assists, grabbing 4 steals, and shooting 4-7 from three as BYU convincingly beat Central Arkansas, 88-50.
BYU went on to win their next five games. And while the competition wasn’t exactly elite, Demin continued to impress. Naturally, the attention followed. People like me started to take strong notice, and Demin skyrocketed up NBA draft boards, including mine, where I had him as high as No. 4.
Then came December 3rd. BYU faced Providence, and Demin struggled mightily—shooting an abysmal 0-10 and finishing with just three assists in an 83-64 loss. To make matters worse, Demin suffered a knee injury—a bone contusion—that kept him out for nearly a month.
He returned on New Year’s Eve, facing Arizona State in BYU’s first Big 12 matchup. Demin did just okay. He had seven assists but shot 2-8 from the field and turned the ball over five times. Still, BYU won 76-56.
Since then, both Demin and BYU have struggled. Before last night's game, they were 2-4 during that stretch, and Demin hasn’t looked or produced the same. Many of the people hyping him early, myself included, have quieted down. From an NBA draft standpoint, behind closed doors, whispers of him slipping have only grown louder. I checked the rankings of a few media outlets I trust yesterday to gauge his current stock. The Athletic has him at No. 7, ESPN at No. 9, Tankathon at No. 10, and Bleacher Report at No. 16—a stark contrast from a few weeks ago.
Egor Demin started hot, quickly becoming one of this year’s NBA draft sweethearts, but he became a polarizing prospect seemingly overnight. This was the perfect scenario for me to get a second look up close. Luckily, my schedule worked out—I already had BYU @ Colorado penciled in for last night.
So, I made my way to Boulder to evaluate Demin. Sure, I noticed Richie Saunders’ toughness and Trevin Knell’s shooting, but I focused on Demin, trying to figure out where he fits in the grand scheme of the 2025 NBA Draft.
During warmups, nothing stood out as new. Demin seems like a great kid who’s locked in. He still needs to get physically stronger—that was clear—and while he hasn’t shot well recently, I believe his mechanics are fine long-term. They’re not perfect, but they’re repeatable, and given his work ethic, I trust he’ll improve.
Once the game started, Demin was solid. He had some slashing moves to the basket and flashed his elite playmaking ability, delivering pinpoint passes—even on simple plays. But something felt different. His approach and presence weren’t the same. You can see his confidence is down. While his talent was evident, he didn’t assert himself as the top player on the court. He looked like a talented young freshman, not the game-changer he appeared to be earlier in the season.
In the second half, he loosened up, taking advantage of transition opportunities where he thrives most, and seemed to start having fun playing basketball again. He even threw down an impressive reverse dunk and delivered a clever pass between his legs. And BYU was terrific, beating Colorado 83-67.
But even with the win, I left juggling a lot of thoughts.
After digesting it overnight, here’s where I stand:
At his peak, I loved Demin’s positional size, feel for the game, and elite playmaking as a 6-foot-9 point guard who could score at all three levels. My concerns were his lack of strength, foot speed, and athleticism.
Those concerns have since been magnified.
He needs to get stronger—not just for increasing physicality but for his confidence. Strength can help him feel more dominant and give him the swagger to take over games. Right now, he blends in too often—seemingly playing not to make mistakes. I also think his shooting struggles are tied to confidence. Shooting is a mental game, and his wavering confidence seems to have become his kryptonite.
My biggest concern, though, is his lack of quickness. I initially thought he could be a primary ballhandler and true point guard at 6-foot-9. But he’s not quick enough to consistently get to his spots, create separation, or put pressure on the defense. That limits him and makes me believe he’s more of a point forward than a true point guard, which lowers his overall value from an NBA standpoint. And defensively, he won’t be able to match up against lead guards in the NBA.
So, there’s more work for Demin to do than I initially thought. And he’ll likely drop in my rankings a bit. His lack of athleticism, waning confidence, and inability to be a primary ballhandler give me pause. That said, I’m hopeful he can use last night’s success to rebuild his confidence and start playing like the best player on the court again. Regardless, I’ll acknowledge that he’s currently a victim of being compared to his early-season self, so maybe we’re getting too caught up in the negative narrative. I’ll do my best to take a “glass half full” approach because we’re talking about a 6-foot-9, 18-year-old who is one of the best passers I’ve ever seen—and that’s something special.
And the thing is, my evaluation isn’t over. Demin might have more work to do, but I do, too. I might just head out to Provo again this season—and maybe finally try one of those Cougar Tails everyone keeps talking about.
Until then, I’ll be watching closely from afar.