BYU Freshman Righting NBA Draft Stock After Mid-Season Lull

Despite a plethora of talent in the 2025 NBA Draft class, it wasn’t known who would rise to the very top behind the likes of Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.
For a time, it seemed BYU guard Egor Demin would assume one of the remaining top-five spots with his stellar early season play. Across his first six games, Demin scored a blistering 15.3 points per game on 59% shooting overall and 47% 3-point shooting, adding 6.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game in do-it-all fashion. He finished in double figure scoring in five of those games, coming out of the gate swinging.
In early December, Demin was sidelined with an injury, and was only able to re-join the Cougars on Dec. 31. In games since returning from injury, Demin hasn’t looked the same player. He’s shot just 33% from the field, hitting on a measly 11% of his triples. He’s still looked the part of a play-maker on both ends — averaging 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals in those games — but hasn’t been able to produce in the scoring department.
Against Cincinnati, Egor was finally able to repair some of his early-season stock. He poured on 15 points on an efficient 3-for-5 shooting, hitting three shots from beyond the arc and nailing six of seven free throws. Additionally, he added a patented seven assists to three turnovers, and five rebounds. Overall, it was a nice bounce-back game for Demin, especially conceding BYU cruised to an 80-52 win over the Bearcats.
All in all, Demin will still need to do plenty to fully re-gain favor in the eyes NBA decision-makers, but his lengthy frame and visibly high feel as a guard makes him a tantalizing prospect.
Per an earlier scouting report from NBA Draft on SI regarding Demin: “When catching in the mid-range, Demin is extremely crafty. He doesn’t have to use dribble moves to generate a good look — instead, he leverages great footwork and crafty ball fakes along with an ability to rise up over defenders and his shots while fading. He’s an advanced shotmaker for his age and has legitimate self-creation upside.”
BYU and Demin next take on the Baylor Bears — who also have a talented five-star freshman in hybrid VJ Edgecombe — which should be a nice test for both team and player.
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