Egor Demin has always been familiar with basketball. His dad was a basketball player himself, who helped support his son’s basketball dreams. Egor grew up in Moscow and developed his basketball skills at the Moscow Basketball Academy. Despite being a highly requested player, with offers coming in from everywhere, Demin stayed loyal to the Academy and remained there.
From there, Egor Demin gained traction and received 6 offers from European teams. He decided to accept a long-term 6-year contract with Real Madrid. He was admitted to the Cadet A team in Real Madrid and led them to win the Spanish Cadet Championship in 2022. Later on, he would join the Real Madrid B team playing alongside fellow 2025 prospect Hugo Gonzalez. He helped lead them to win the 2023 Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament championship, averaging nearly 9 points and 7 boards. Because of his leadership in championship-winning teams, he was given the opportunity to play a game with the main Real Madrid roster.
The next season, Demin averaged a reliable 13 points and 5 rebounds, remaining an integral part of the team on route to winning their second straight Euroleague Next Gen championship. However, in their way was the Nolan Traore-led Pole France. The final between Madrid and Pole was an overtime nail-biter, with Egor Demin scoring a much-needed 26 points while grabbing 11 crucial rebounds to help Madrid pull out to win back-to-back Next Gen championships.
Egor has had an impressive resume so far in his basketball journey, already winning 3 competitive youth championships. After signing with the BYU Cougars, he can extend his success with an advanced organization. Pairing with veterans Dallin Hall and Richie Saunders can be beneficial for him, as he can gain advice and knowledge from them. He and Dallin Hall can also become a decent guard duo that rely on each other when it comes to size or ball handling. The forward can use his versatility to play in all areas of the perimeter, drive to the basket, or dish it out to the open man.
Egor Demin will be a threat in multiple areas of the field. Despite standing at 6 ‘8, he can play guard and possesses a decent handle package for his height. He plays well at a fast tempo and is capable of controlling the pace after he grabs a rebound. He can also create suitable mismatches one-on-one to ultimately slam it in or find someone in the corner. His versatility makes him a useful force in any area of the court.
As for defense, he can disrupt passing lanes and use his wingspan to contest shots. However, as a big man, he should work on improving his blocking ability to add more depth to his defensive abilities. Refining his defensive presence will ultimately improve his draft stock and expand him from being just an offensive weapon. Also, as he progresses his basketball journey, he needs to bulk up more to handle competing against tougher talent.
As Egor interviewed with BYU media “Sports Nation”, he admitted that “my main goal is to win the championship of [Big 12].” Due to his addition to the roster, the chances for this to happen are highly boosted. His playing style complements fellow star guard Dallin Hall, and his advanced passing ability will get multiple guys going throughout games. Also, as a decent shooter, he can become another threat on the team from the three-point line. With Kevin Young coaching his first year at BYU, there are many options that he can choose from to use Demin.
Egor Demin is likely going to be a one-and-done for BYU. However, in his potential one-year career at BYU, he can turn the program around to become a true threat for the Big 12 Championship. As the biggest recruitment in BYU’s basketball history, expectations are high, but he is not fazed. He’s been against the top young ballers in Europe and has come out as champion multiple times. Egor Demin will transform the dynamics of BYU Basketball and make the Cougars a danger in the West.
