Egor Demin emerges as a promising option for Nets at point guard

The Brooklyn Nets have seen Egor Demin step up as a viable option at point guard during the preseason, exceeding expectations in the absence of lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. Demin has started the first two preseason games, leading the Nets to victories and demonstrating a more confident and assertive game.

During the Nets' 114-108 win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, Demin scored 13 points and tied for a game-high five assists in the first half. He also finished with a game-high plus-13 in 21 minutes. His performance included several key plays, such as driving to the basket against 76ers center Joel Embiid and crossing over LeBron James.

"He’s not afraid to lead, to be honest with you," said Nets player Julius Randle. "We know what he does on the court, talent-wise how he is and stuff like that, but he’s not afraid to lead and use his voice... You can tell he has a point guard background. So he knows how to lead a team and get us organized. He has a bright future."

When the Nets selected Demin with the No. 8 pick a year ago, the decision was met with criticism. As a rookie, he struggled at times as the starting point guard, often being moved off the ball. However, an offseason focused on improving his strength and driving game appears to be paying off.

Head coach Jordi Fernández noted Demin's increased confidence and aggressiveness. "He was comfortable getting into the paint [in the opener]; that’s No. 1. You can see how confident he looks, and it’s through a summer of great work," Fernández said. "He’s aggressive. He tries to get there... Last year, it looked like he touched the paint, he had no plan for it. He worked, and he put his mind to it. And also handling pressure. He’s just like a new player."

Fernández also expressed confidence in Demin's shooting ability, stating, "Obviously, the shooting, there’s no doubt that he can shoot the ball; he proved it last year. But also this summer, he’s been very aggressive coming off the screen. That’s what I want him to do because every time he shoots a 3, I think it’s going in."

Demin's improved play provides the Nets with valuable options as they navigate their rebuild, especially with Brown Jr. still recovering from an ankle injury.