Source — BYU’s Demin, projected lottery pick, to enter NBA draft

BYU freshman guard Egor Demin will enter the 2025 NBA draft, a source told ESPN on Tuesday.

Demin, the No. 12 prospect in ESPN’s NBA draft projections, was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team after averaging 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 27.5 minutes per game.

Demin helped BYU make the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011, finishing 26-10. Demin had some of his best games of the season in three NCAA tournament games, posting 15 points, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover in what proved to be the final game of his career against Alabama in Newark, New Jersey.

Demin, 19, took an unconventional pathway to the draft. He was born in Moscow but moved to Spain to play for Real Madrid as a 15-year old, developing into one of the best prospects in European basketball. BYU paid a million-dollar buyout to free him from his contract with Real Madrid and bring him to Provo, Utah, shortly after hiring Kevin Young as head coach off the Phoenix Suns‘ bench.

Demin started at point guard all season for BYU and emerged as one of the most unique players in the college game, capable of threading exceptionally creative passes all over the floor at 6-foot-9. He finished fourth in the Big 12 in assists, but struggled at times with perimeter shooting, turnovers and defense, making the steep transition from European basketball to the highest levels of the NCAA. At his size, few players share his upside in this draft class with his high-level flashes of talent, court vision and feel for the game, and his encouraging end to the season bodes well for his long-term outlook.

The NBA draft combine will be held May 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 25-26 in New York.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and International teams.

Source: espn.com