When the Brooklyn Nets used their first lottery pick in 14 years to select Egor Demin at pick number 8, the reaction from most fans was... let’s just say it was a bit of a shocker. Demin was not exactly the household name or slam-dunk prospect like Khaman Maluach that most expected. But after taking a deeper dive into this selection by Sean Marks I realized that sometimes, the best moves come from the unexpected. Because if you look closer, Demin might be exactly what Brooklyn needs to completely change their offense in the right way.
He is not your typical flashy scorer
At 6-foot-8 with a nearly seven-foot wingspan, he is more like a tall, intelligent point guard who sees the entire court at once. His greatest gift? Without a doubt is his passing. At BYU, he averaged 5.5 assists per game in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball. That might not jump off the page, but his style of play he uses with the creative, no-look, cross-court passes, is what really sets him apart from the other guards in the 2025 class.
ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo called Demin “the draft’s most aesthetically pleasing playmaker,” crowning him as the player with the best court vision among the other prospects, and I have to agree. His ability to dissect defenses with timely, clever passes is something the Nets have been missing. Brooklyn’s offense has lacked a true orchestrator, and Demin could be that guy, making the Nets offense smoother and more unpredictable.
Sure, his shooting is not a surefire thing as that is the big question mark and concern surrounding him. But even without a reliable jumper, Demin’s passing ability alone will force defenses to collapse and rotate, opening up space for Brooklyn’s shooters and slashers. If he can develop that shot on top of all that then well we are looking at a whole new level.
Defensively, he still needs to grow stronger and more physical. But with his length and instincts, Demin could become a versatile help defender who disrupts passing lanes and pressures opposing ball handlers.
NBA Comparison:
He reminds me of someone like Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls, and while the comparison is not perfect, it is interesting. Demin’s frame and playmaking skills could put him on a similar path, a tall guard who changes the game with passing and court IQ more than pure scoring. For Brooklyn, that is exciting especially since I thought before this draft that they should target Giddey. So yes, the pick caught many by surprise, but Brooklyn fans should be thrilled. Egor Demin is exactly the kind of unique, high-IQ playmaker who can remake this offense right out of the gate.