Former BYU Guard Egor Dёmin Justifies Top 10 Selection For Nets
Jan 22, 2026, 2:59 PM | Updated: Jan 23, 2026, 2:25 pm
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 07: Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets scores and puts the Brooklyn Nets ahead with seconds left in overtime against the Orlando Magic during their game at Barclays Center on January 07, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, New York – The Brooklyn Nets are in a full-on rebuild as a franchise, and they may have unearthed a long-term cornerstone in rookie guard Egor Dёmin.
The former BYU Cougar has excelled nearly halfway through his first NBA season, already validating the premium selection Brooklyn used on him.
Dёmin has quickly become one of the league’s most productive first-year shooters.
RELATED: Egor Dёmin Goes To Nets With No. 8 Pick In NBA Draft
b2b triples for 3gorrrrrr pic.twitter.com/oT3S0RqzrA
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 22, 2026
His 90 made threes are second among all rookies.
Among the 12 rookies who have taken at least 100 threes, his 39.6% accuracy stands out—particularly given that he shot just 27.3% from deep in 33 starts at BYU.
Dёmin approaches the All-Star break as one of the best rookies in a stacked class. NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner has the ball-handling Russian native seventh on his 2026 rookie ladder.
Dëmin’s minutes dropped in the two games before Monday, which he sat out for “injury management” reasons. His 3-point proficiency continues, but coach Jordi Fernandez wants to see the 6-foot-8 Russian consistently play more physically. — Aschburner
He is averaging 10.3 points, three rebounds, and 3.4 assists for a Nets team with ample space for rotation players.
Dёmin’s combination of size, playmaking ability, and offensive improvement makes him one of Brooklyn’s most intriguing developmental pieces.
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Can Egor Dёmin be a long-term NBA starter with his improved three-point shooting?
Before ever playing a game for BYU, many wondered how a questionable shooting touch would impact Egor Dёmin’s ability to carve out an NBA role.
At 6’8 and 200 pounds with athleticism to spare, his measurements made him intriguing to NBA front office staff. Still, a nonexistent perimeter threat is often a death sentence for would-be guards in the league today.
https://t.co/wWGNmWnCY9’s updated rookie ladder:
1. Kon Knueppel
2. Cooper Flagg
3. VJ Edgecombe
4. Derik Queen
5. Cedric Coward
6. Maxime Raynaud
7. Egor Dëmin
8. Caleb Love
9. Jeremiah Fears
10. Dylan Harper pic.twitter.com/P5czmlCPmX— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 21, 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.
His all‑around impact kept him in the lottery conversation, though many were surprised when the Nets selected him eighth—the first of their four first‑round picks.
So far, Brooklyn’s gamble has paid off.
Considering his age (19) and the growth he’s already shown, there’s no reason to think Dёmin can’t become a long-term NBA starter.
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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.
