Nets See Strength as Key to Unlocking Egor Demin’s Pick-and-Roll Potential

Coach Steve Hetzel says physicality is limiting Egor Demin’s PnR reps, but the tools are there.

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Egor Demin stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the eighth pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Egor Demin was widely considered the best passer of the 2025 NBA Draft class, but wasn't quite able to put all his skills on display at the NBA2K26 Summer League festivities in Las Vegas.

That could partially be due to the amount of reps Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf were given to run the offense, but the Nets' summer league head coach believes it's because of an adjustment period Demin is experiencing.

“I would say it's more how it's playing out. The physicality of these players is something that he's going to have to get used to," Steve Hetzel told ClutchPoints' Erik Slater on Wednesday. "We saw the same things in his days at BYU in his ability to play pick-and-roll, and he'll get there. But right now, he's got to focus on the weight room, getting stronger, being able to hold off his defender. Then he'll be able to play in the play-and-roll.”

Demin is 6-foot-9, but only weighs just over 200 lbs. For context, other notable NBA point guards who are considered "tall" include Magic Johnson, Ben Simmons and Penny Hardaway.

Johnson weighed around 215 lbs for most of his career, Hardaway remained around 195 lbs, and Simmons was the odd man out, coming in at a staggering 240 lbs. Granted, Hardaway was listed two inches shorter than Johnson or Simmons, but he's still included for comparison's sake.

If Demin can come close to Johnson, that would likely be the perfect weight for his playstyle. Both Johnson and Simmons were elite distributors in their prime, but the latter relied heavily on his freakish athleticism to get to the rim. Simmons was a straight bruiser during his All-Star seasons, while Johnson is more of the pure point guard Demin is.

Of course, this is in no way saying Demin will be the next Simmons-Johnson-esque player. They just happen to have played the position at a similar size and at a very high level.

Once Demin bulks up, not only will he be more effective in the pick and roll, but he'll become more of an overall threat both offensively and defensively.