Egor Demin received high praise after an impressive NBA debut

ByNBAUSA


Egor Demin’s NBA debut was the most anticipated for a Brooklyn Nets rookie since the team moved from New Jersey. After missing most of the preseason with a torn plantar fascia, the No. 8 pick finally took the floor Friday, and Nets fans should be encouraged by what they saw.

Demin played 19 minutes during a 119-114 loss to the Toronto Raptors, scoring 14 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 from three and 6-of-7 from the free throw line. He added five rebounds, one assist, one block and two turnovers.

During the Nets’ first game with all three of their starters available, the Russian general looked by far the best on the floor.

“He was excellent,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “There’s going to be things he’s going to have to work on. We’ve got to continue to develop him physically so he can get more minutes, and we’re going to be careful with that. But I’m very pleased with his presence, how composed he was, how he talked to his teammates, all those things. He made it look easy. He got the open ball every half and half. He pulled down five rebounds, played the rim nicely. It was good.”

Brooklyn’s starters faced a tough test against Toronto’s physical defense.

Nets lottery pick Egor Demin impresses during NBA debut

Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) at Media Day.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Led by Scotty Barnes and RJ Barrett, the Raptors outplayed the Nets for most of the game. The result was an ugly start for Brooklyn, with Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore looking overwhelmed.

Saraf scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting with five assists and four turnovers in 22 minutes. Traore played just six minutes, turned the ball over three times and failed to score. However, Demin looked comfortable sparking Brooklyn’s offense, making an immediate impact and finishing plus-1.

“This 100 percent (gives me confidence). I’ve been told a lot about the Raptors being probably one of the most physical and longest teams. Just from a pressure point of view almost the whole game, and how boring they are,” Demin said IES Network. “I don’t want to say I was scared, but I was super aware of what to expect. But I also couldn’t understand what to expect; this is my first game in the NBA. So I’m happy that we went through this and had this experience. I think it was a huge lesson for all of us and I can’t wait for the season to start.”

Demin’s shotthe main concern about his game entering the draft, he looked improved this offseason. The 19-year-old shot 43.5 percent on 7.7 3-pointers per game in the Summer League after shooting just 27.3 percent at BIU. He looked confident again Friday, knocking down a pullback after a defender went under a screen and hitting a corner three for a catch-and-shoot.

The Nets rookie also made a splash defensively, using his 6-foot-10 wingspan to force several turnovers and missed shots in rotations.

Demin must continue to add strength and tighten the lever as he moves forward in his rookie campaign. While handling Toronto’s ball pressure, he rarely came off the dribble. The guard attempted only two shots inside the arc, one of which was in the backdoor. Only four of his 27 field goal attempts in Summer League were two-pointers.

Demin’s inability to get downhill limited his game. He had just five assists through three Summer League games and Friday’s loss. Still, his composure and immediate impact during his first game against NBA competition is extremely positive.

Demin and the Brooklyn rookie’s next appearance will come during Wednesday’s regular season opener against the Charlotte Hornets.





2025-10-18 13:16:00

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