Egor Demin may not have heard his name called in the top five of the NBA Draft, but the rookie guard is making sure people remember where he landed - and more importantly, what he's doing now. Taken four spots behind Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Demin is quietly turning heads in Brooklyn, and after another strong showing, he’s closing the gap in a key category: three-point shooting.
In the Nets’ 114-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Demin drilled five threes, continuing a December surge that’s helping Brooklyn climb back into the Eastern Conference mix. That performance pushed him to second among rookies in made threes - trailing only Knueppel - and marked his fourth straight game with at least 14 points. For a player once labeled a questionable shooter, that’s a notable leap.
Let’s be clear: Demin’s not just surviving his rookie season - he’s starting to thrive. The 6-foot-8 guard has now scored in double figures in four consecutive games, a stretch that’s coincided with the Nets going 3-1.
He’s doing it with confidence, shooting 35.3% from deep and averaging nine points and 3.2 rebounds per game. But it’s not just the numbers - it’s the timing.
In Philly, Demin knocked down back-to-back threes late that sent Sixers fans heading for the exits. That’s the kind of composure you don’t always see from a first-year player.
His shooting is coming largely off screens, which speaks to how well he’s reading the flow of the offense. But there’s more to come.
As defenses start to press higher to take away those looks, expect Demin’s dribble-drive game to become a bigger part of his arsenal. He’s shown flashes of being a crafty finisher in the midrange and around the rim - traits that were highlighted in his pre-draft scouting report, even if his outside shot wasn’t.
That same report projected Demin as more of a floor general - someone who could organize the offense and make plays for others. And that part of his game is showing up too. Against the Sixers, he dished out five assists and added two rebounds, continuing to round out his role in Jordi Fernandez’s rotation.
Frank Isola, longtime New York sports voice and Nets analyst on YES Network, summed it up well: “He’s really established himself as a rotational player on the Nets. He’s been consistent in the starting lineup and I think over time, you’ll start to see the improvement.”
Brooklyn’s heating up as the calendar winds down, and Demin’s emergence is a big reason why. He’s not just proving he belongs - he’s helping the Nets win.
For a rookie who came in with questions about his jumper, Demin’s turning those doubts into highlights. And if this trajectory holds, he might not be chasing Knueppel for long - he could be setting the pace.