Egor Demin
has silenced doubts about his NBA shooting potential with an impressive performance in Las Vegas. That narrative is done.
After the
Nets
saw their 23-point lead shrink to one in Wednesday’s Summer League game against the Orlando Magic, the rookie guard, standing at 6-8, drained three 3-pointers in the final 2:36 — two from the right corner and one in transition from the left wing — to secure their first Summer League victory.
“Just happy for him,” Nets assistant Steve Hetzel told reporters in Vegas. “Those were big shots. He stepped in, took them and made them.”
Selected No. 8 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, the 19-year-old delivered 14 points, five rebounds and two steals, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-8 from 3-point range. Through three Summer League appearances, he’s hitting 43.5% of his attempts from distance, with 10 of his 11 made field goals being treys.
Fellow rookie Danny Wolf led the team with 18 points, adding six rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes of strong play.
Scouts had mixed opinions on Demin’s shooting entering the draft, given his 27.3% 3-point shooting across 33 games at BYU, where he struggled with open 3s and defensive pressure. However, at the NBA Combine in Chicago, his strong mechanics and lightning-quick release in shooting drills sparked optimism about his potential.
Demin’s shooting is a critical swing skill for his NBA success, and he temporarily eased concerns with his Summer League performance. While his hot shooting may not immediately translate to NBA games, his confidence and willingness to take shots are promising.
A larger sample size is needed, but Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez and his staff are likely encouraged by Demin’s mechanics and early results.
“First and foremost, the shot is better, it’s higher,” said Tom Crean, former Georgia head coach and current ESPN analyst. “He wants to get his hand behind the ball; he’s doing a much better job of that. The issue is the guide hand. The guide hand is far too on top, and he’s got his hand on top of the ball where both thumbs should basically be in an intersection of shooting… When he gets that, he’ll be a much better shooter.”
While Demin’s shooting has exceeded expectations, the elite playmaking that earned him a high first-round selection has yet to fully emerge in Summer League. He’s mostly played off-ball with few pick-and-roll chances as he adapts to the NBA’s physicality, averaging 1.3 assists against three turnovers per game.
Despite Demin’s standout performance against Orlando, he led the game with six turnovers in the Nets’ victory. He’s showcased his shooting ability; now he must prove he can run the show.
“It’s a big transition,” Demin told reporters in Vegas. “I need to get used to that, spend more time in practices handling the ball thanks to our guys who are not being selfish by not playing great defense against me. [My teammates] were guarding me in the practices, and it’s pretty hard. So, for me having these experiences, not just in the games, but in practice is huge.”
