Egor Demin set Chicago ablaze this week as he torched the nets from three.
Now, BYU’s first NBA prospect since 2011 is wondering if his draft stock will catch fire, too.
Demin, a native of Moscow, Russia, surprised scouts by knocking down 16 straight threes at the NBA Draft Combine. Demin’s blend of size and passing ability always put him on NBA draft radars. But the shooting — where he shot 27% from three — held him back from being a no-brainer lottery pick.
But if he convinces teams he can shoot, will that change the dynamic?
“The main questions that scouts [had for] me [were] as a shooter. That was a goal for me to shoot well, show them that I’m a capable shooter,” Demin said.
Mission accomplished, for now.
But what that means for draft day still remains to be seen.
Demin is projected anywhere from No. 12 to 22. ESPN has Chicago taking him at 12 and CBS has him off the board to Minnesota at 17. There is still a looming possibility, though, he could wind back up in Utah if the Jazz decide to pounce.
Utah owns the fifth and 21st picks in the first round. It’s extremely unlikely the Jazz would consider him at five, but Demin could be available later in the first round if the Jazz want to make a move.
Demin has a relationship with Jazz decision makers Ryan Smith and Danny Ainge, both BYU alums. Ainge often attends BYU games as a former player, whose jersey is retired at the Marriott Center.
“They were at the games a lot of times. So obviously, I’ve met them. And, I mean, they’re legends of BYU,” Demin said.
And BYU’s star would welcome going back to the Beehive State. He’d be close to two of his mentors, BYU head coach Kevin Young and former BYU player Travis Hansen. He’d often eat at Hansen’s home during BYU’s season. Hansen played professionally in Russia after his college days, giving Demin a familiar connection.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU basketball player Egor Demin, alongside former BYU player Travis Hansen, left, and his coach Kevin Young, announces his plans to enter the NBA Draft, where he would likely be a first-round pick in June, during a news event in Provo on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
The Jazz have one more connection for Demin: Andrei Kirilenko. Kirilenko is Russian and was drafted by Utah in the first round back in 2001. He became one of the best players in the league, playing a decade in Utah.
“He’s a big figure for Russian basketball,” Demin said. “Obviously, for me, it’s an honor to be able to have a chance to talk to him and ask him for advice. For me, it’s an honor to be representing my country, bringing the pride of my country to the NBA.”
So Utah would be a good fit for Demin, at least off the court.
“I see myself when I retire from my basketball career going back to Utah, having a house over there,” Demin said. “Somewhere next to Travis Hansen, or a nice house in the mountains. I see myself living there.”
But what about next year?
“A lot of people don’t believe me. I love to spend time over there. My time at BYU was amazing. I had a lot of fun being in Utah,” he said. “I found basketball over there. I found a lot of good people and my new lifetime friends.”
Even if it doesn’t happen, one team will take him. Demin isn’t coming back to college, that much is certain. “I am ready for this next level,” he said.
It means his last college outing was the NCAA Tournament, where he looked the part of being a first-round pick. He averaged over 13 points a game and buried six triples. He neared a triple-double against Wisconsin.
That’s what Demin is hoping NBA scouts remember heading into the draft.
“I think the March Madness games were exactly who I am,” he said. “Shooting-wise and like, just general game, this is exactly what I was.”
His shooting in Chicago can’t hurt either.
