Egor Dëmin Push Causes Scuffle In Phoenix
Jan 27, 2026, 10:33 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2026, 9:29 am
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 27: Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts during a scuffle between the Nets and the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 27, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, Arizona – Former BYU guard and current Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Dëmin nearly sparked an NBA nightmare when he pushed Suns guard Dillon Brooks late in a physical matchup in the Grand Canyon State.
Dëmin should be happy after being named a participant in the NBA All-Star Weekend Rising Stars recently, but you wouldn’t know it after he gave Brooks a two-handed shove in the back late in the fourth quarter.
RELATED: Egor Dёmin Emerging As Key Piece In Nets’ Rebuild
Egor Dëmin shoves Dillon Brooks and then Terance Mann flies in to stand up for the rook 🫡 pic.twitter.com/4Nn9HSo434
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) January 28, 2026
With Grayson Allen and Ziaire Williams battling over a loose ball, Brooks and Dëmin stood nearby.
The rookie pushed Brooks well after the whistle, causing former Jazzman Royce O’Neale and Phoenix center Mark Williams to come to the defense of Brooks.
Brooklyn guard Terrance Mann came flying in to defend the rookie, grabbing O’Neale and pulling him away before coaches and security could come in between the heated exchange.
Phoenix held on in the final minutes to earn a 106-102 win over the tanking Nets.
About Egor Dëmin
At 6’8 and 200 pounds, the Russian native is a rare one-and-done prospect for the BYU Cougars men’s basketball program.
Earning his 1st Castrol Rising Stars selection… Egor Dëmin of the @BrooklynNets!@whoisegor3 was drafted as the 8th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of BYU. pic.twitter.com/8Aq5Uwxseb
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 27, 2026
Dёmin was named to the 2025 Big 12 All-Freshman Team after averaging 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds at BYU.
He is averaging 10.2 points, three rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 39 games as a rookie.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.
