Vince Carter Made it His 'Business' to Get Nets' Egor Dëmin on His Rising Stars Squad

The Rising Stars Challenge is the second of several star-studded events at All-Star Weekend each year, where first and second-year players have an opportunity to show the world just how high their ceiling is. The game usually features the top draft prospects from the previous two drafts.

Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Dëmin was one of 21 players selected to participate in the festivities, as he was selected by one of the best players to ever put on a Nets uniform.

Though Dëmin was selected No. 15 overall in the Rising Stars Draft, Vince Carter still wanted to make sure the 6-foot-8 sharpshooting guard wasn't left off his roster.

"I made it my business to make sure Egor was on my squad," Carter said. "The most impressive thing and exciting thing is seeing Egor's confidence, his growth, and understanding of the game, this NBA game.

"But when you come in, trying to figure out how the NBA game is played, coming from Europe or wherever you come from. I don't care if it's college. It takes an adjustment period. You can just see, month by month, him getting comfortable to where now, you're starting to see his actual game and who he is and what he can bring to a team."

When @mrvincecarter15 sees Egor’s growth, you know it’s real. 💯

Follow the rookie’s first NBA All-Star Weekend in a new Nets Generation, presented by @TISSOT → https://t.co/o00QfkndkD pic.twitter.com/nUyhhddZJT
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 24, 2026

In just a short amount of time, it seems like Dëmin has become well acquainted with the Hall of Famer, as Dëmin's father credited Carter for changing the game.

“It’s hard to say what you can get from a player like Vince,” Demin said. “It’s easier to say what you cannot get. With his experience, he knows more than anybody else in this game, probably.”

To Dëmin's point, Carter lasted 22 seasons in the NBA, the second most all-time. He's seen the NBA's evolution over the past couple of decades and gracefully transitioned from a box office superstar to a veteran role player, mentoring De'Aaron Fox and Trae Young earlier in their careers.

Carter seems to recognize Dëmin's maturity at 19 years old and willingness to get better, which will only help him expand his all-around game.

Dëmin sometimes shows a little hesitancy in driving to the rim and shooting midrange jumpers, but it's also easy to forget that he didn't have enough time to train during the offseason due to a bout of plantar fasciitis. However, an offseason of training at full strength should do wonders for the BYU product.