Egor Dëmin’s Summer League wasn’t just a good tune-up. It was a loud reminder that the Brooklyn Nets may have something much bigger on their hands entering Year 2.
The former BYU guard-forward was one of the best second-year players in the event, averaging 21.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals over five games. For Dëmin, it was also a return trip to the floor after plantar fasciitis cut short his rookie season in February.
That alone made the summer noteworthy. The way he played made it matter.
ESPN’s Ben Golliver named him the “Best Sophomore” in Summer League, and the praise came with a pointed assessment of how much Dëmin had changed.
“Boy, has the switch flipped for Dëmin,” wrote Golliver. “... (He) looked like a completely different and much more complete player this summer: He attacked off the dribble with greater regularity, finished in traffic and made good, assertive decisions as a playmaker.
“The Nets desperately need some of their recent draft picks to emerge as difference-makers, and Demin took a nice step in that direction.”
Brooklyn took Dëmin No. 8 overall in 2025, and as a 19-year-old rookie he logged 52 games, posting 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The most surprising part of that first season was his shooting from deep: he hit 39% of his 3s after connecting on just 27% at BYU.
He even set an NBA record for consecutive games with a 3-point make by a rookie, running the streak to 34 games, and he had 32 games with multiple made triples.
So the summer mission was clear. He had already shown he could shoot it from outside. Now he needed to prove he could do damage inside the arc.
Dëmin said he added 13 to 15 pounds since February, part of an offseason focus on healthy weight gain.
“I believe that as long as I get stronger in the lifting room, that’s going to help me to execute certain things on the court,” Dëmin told The New York Post.
That work showed up in Las Vegas. His 3-point attempts still made up a big part of his offense, but he also went downhill more often, with 32% of his shots coming in the paint. After looking light at times around the basket as a rookie, he finished 84% at the rim in five July games and made 76% of his 2-pointers overall.
He played with more force, more balance and a lot less hesitation. At 6-foot-8, he looked far more comfortable using his frame to get where he wanted and finish there.
“What I’m thinking about is how can I get those habits of getting to the paint as much as I can,” Demin said. “I got so much stronger and that gave me more confidence.
“Obviously, trying is the next step, right? So, as much as I try, I think it gets better and better. So, I’m very excited with all the work that I’ve done for that, and it’s gonna keep growing for sure.”
That matters for more than scoring. Dëmin was widely regarded as the best passer in his draft class, and if he keeps getting into the lane like this, the assists should follow. More drives mean more kick-outs, more pick-and-roll chances and more chances to put his vision to work.
That could become especially useful with Julius Randle, a three-time All-Star forward, and Mikel Brown Jr., the recent No. 6 overall pick, in the mix.
Nets summer league coach Dutch Gaitley said the physical gains have already translated on the court.
“(Egor has) done an outstanding job of putting weight on,” Gaitley told The Post. “But it’s easy to just show it off while you’re walking around the gym. The hard part is now can you have carryover?
“And Egor has been able to show his ability to get into the paint, hit midrange, get into the paint and make plays for other guys. That’s probably been his most (encouraging growth area). His comfort level with his strength is just going to open up so much of his game for himself or his teammates.”
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