“I’m definitely going to prove somebody wrong”: BYU’s Egor Demin reflects on subpar shooting season ahead of the NBA combine

BYU’s Egor Demin was one of the 75 prospective NBA players invited to the NBA Combine that is scheduled to take place from May 11 to May 18 in Chicago across the Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis. The Russian guard played at BYU last season and is preparing to showcase his ability at the combine, where scouts, NBA executives and coaches will be present.

Demin was interviewed by BYUtv Sports Nation on Thursday, where he was asked about his goals for the combine and which drills he feels will showcase his strengths.

“I think a lot of people are going to expect me not to shoot really well, since the season wasn't the best for me in shooting," Demin said. “But I'm definitely going to prove somebody wrong and make a lot of shots. I would say that hopefully everything is going to go the way I want it to go, because obviously right now we're getting ready for it, and I'm shooting a ton of shots every day, just to be able to show who the real Egor taking shots is. [3:38 - 4:13]

Demin went on to express his excitement about simply having the opportunity to be at the combine and share the stage with top players.

“I think I'm just super excited to see how it all works. Obviously, I have never been there, and I have never even seen how it all works. For me it's just super exciting to be invited and to be there to spend the whole week being around these players, who I actually meet a lot of players over here in Los Angeles, [as] a big part of them are working out here too. So I think just the general experience is amazing to think of.” [4:20 - 4:55]

Egor Demin played 33 games for BYU last season, averaging 27.5 minutes, 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, while he made 41.2% of his shots, reducing to 27.3% for just 3-pointers.

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Egor Demin’s NBA draft projection

Based on ESPN’s mock draft projections, Egor Demin is expected to be the No. 12 pick after a good season at BYU, where he helped the program reach the Sweet 16 after 14 years.

The Cougars were 26-10 last season, and this earned Demin a place on the Big 12 All-Freshman team.

Egor Demin was born in Moscow but moved to Spain to join Real Madrid’s youth system, where he gained valuable experience at a top-level academy, and with just one season in the NCAA, he has taken the bold leap to become a pro.