NBA Mock Draft: Brooklyn Nets Grab Project Guard

It’s no secret the Brooklyn Nets have begun their rebuild, recently trading away the likes of Dennis Schroder to the Warriors, and Dorian Finney-Smith to the Lakers in order to further cement its draft standings.

As it stands now, the Nets boast just a 13-26 record, good for the sixth-best odds at the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. While that’s certainly a step up from its recent draft standing — last year not even owning a pick — it likely won’t be good enough to earn players like Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the Rutgers duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.

In a recent NBA mock draft posted by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the Brooklyn Nets took who is likely the biggest project selection in the entire draft in BYU guard Egor Demin.

At 6-foot-9, Demin offers one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire ’25 class, boasting a guard-like offensive skillset with the frame of a spindly forward.

His statistics of 11.1 points, 5.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game so far this season look fine on-paper, but don’t quite tell the full story of his half-season with the Cougars.

Demin saw a white-hot start to the year, averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals while shooting 59% overall and 47% from three in his first six games. Shortly after, he suffered an injury, and has played in just four games since.

In his most recent four games, Demin has seen abysmal scoring and a plethora of turnovers, shooting 29% overall, 6% from three with 3.5 turnovers to boot.

In just 12 collegiate games, he’s already experience both the highs and lows.

It’s clear that if Demin develops consistency in the high points, he brings plenty in the ways of scoring, elite passing and even defense at 6-foot-9. But the low-end outcome is likely unplayable at the NBA level.

One issue is that Demin lacks truly elite athleticism, something that rears its head now and then. Some stars, though, thrive without it. Per an earlier scouting report from NBA Draft on SI on 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."

For Brooklyn, who has ample time to spare having just started its rebuild, taking a shot on Demin wouldn’t be the worst idea, if it misses out on the other top draftees. With the Nets, the point forward would be allowed to hone his on-ball game without real risk for at least a few seasons. As of now, Demin is likely considered to be the biggest project in the draft, relative to where his stock sits currently.

For now, the goal for Brooklyn is to land a top-five pick, and likely to use it on the best available player. But similarly to the OKC Thunder and Washington Wizards early in their respective rebuilds, it likely won't shy away from project selections.

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