Dallas Mavericks Draft Profile: Egor Demin's Enticing Potential

It's not guaranteed that the Dallas Mavericks will keep their lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but if they do, BYU's Egor Demin is a prospect within their drafting range to keep an eye out for.

Hello fellow MFFL’s–at least those of you who are still here after the Lukapocalypse.

I know it's been a while since you've heard from me, and for that, I am truly sorry. Aside from my fan depression caused by “Order 77,” I’ve also been dealing with some real-life stuff that has demanded the majority of my time and energy. It has not been an easy season of life for me or my family, and I greatly appreciate the grace and patience that you all have granted me. With all of that being said, I am excited to get back to analyzing potential Dallas Mavericks draft targets while hopefully providing something for the fan base to look forward to.

After all that has happened this season, the importance of the 2025 draft cannot be overstated for Dallas. While GM Nico Harrison has asserted that the moves he's made were intended to help the Mavs “win now,” the results have been contradictory, at best. While Harrison likely won't be blamed by management for the injuries the Mavs endured this season, he deserves at least some of the responsibility due to his questionable additions to Dallas’ training staff.

Be that as it may, the sad reality is that Dallas’ main weapons are aging superstars coming off injuries. Even if Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis return as the players they were before their respective injuries, they are still in the latter stages of their careers. This means that Dallas’ window to compete for a title with these stars is small and is shrinking more by the day. For this reason alone, in my opinion, there is a good chance that Nico Harrison trades Dallas’ 2025 lottery pick for another aging star to form a “big three” out of desperation, which would be disastrous for the team’s long-term future. However, for my sanity, I am going to proceed under the presumption that this does not happen.

Please, God, don’t let it happen…

Ahead of the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery, Dallas is projected to land just outside the Top 10. One player who is listed as likely being available in that range is BYU’s Egor Demin, a 6-foot-9 guard out of Moscow, Russia.

The Good:

At first glance, Demin provides a lot of parallels to a certain superstar that the Mavs recently traded away. Aside from the fact he is a product of Real Madrid, Luka Dončić’s former EuroLeague club, Demin is also a big guard who possesses the uncanny ability to make others around him better.

For someone so large, he has a solid handle and has displayed proficiency in consistently making proper reads on the offensive end. He enforces his pace, not allowing defenses to speed him up.

He hunts post-up opportunities against smaller defenders and is incredibly good at determining when to attack and when to search for open shooters. If teams try to double-team him in these situations, he does a good job locating the open man, even if that person happens to be on the opposite side of the floor. He is also an effective high-low passer when operating in the mid-to-high post, which is something that could translate immediately should he fall to the Mavs.

In his lone season at BYU, Demin was top 40 in NCAA Division I in assists, averaging 5.5 per game. His 180 assists set a new freshman record at BYU, and ranked 4th overall in the Big 12 conference. This is impressive considering that he wasn’t his team’s leader in usage rate, reflecting that he positively impacts the majority of offensive possessions he’s involved in.

He’s also demonstrated a large arsenal of finishes and floaters that aren’t commonplace for someone his size. In fact, his go-to shot is the left-handed floater, particularly when going left. According to Synergy, Demin drives left on approximately 78.6% of his possessions, often concluding with a soft-touch floater or a pass to an open teammate.

While Demin’s overall field goal percentage was modest during the 2024–25 season (41.2%) and his perimeter shooting left something to be desired (27.3%), his floater and mid-range game stood out as being more reliable. Along with his isolation post-ups, these are the types of opportunities Demin will hunt on a consistent basis in the league.

While Demin has some exciting aspects in his offensive game, he might be an even better defender. Egor Demin averaged 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks per game during the 2024–25 season, with a 2.5% steal rate, 1.8% block rate, and a defensive rebound percentage of 16.4%, all contributing to his solid defensive rating of 103.4 points allowed per 100 possessions.

Demin’s steal percentage ranked in the 65th-to-70th percentile nationally among Division I players, indicating a proficiency in generating turnovers. His block percentage ranked in the 60th percentile, reflecting solid shot-contesting ability, especially for a guard. Most notably, according to Synergy Sports, Demin ranked in the 78th percentile nationally in points allowed per possession, classifying him as a “very good” individual defender. If defense does indeed win championships, it’s safe to say that Demin could fit right in with the type of roster Nico Harrison wants based upon these metrics.

The Not-So-Good

While Egor Demin is one of the most unique and exciting talents in the 2025 draft, his game does have some glaring holes that worry me. Most notably, his shooting remains a huge concern in a league dominated by perimeter play. Demin shot just 27.3% from three during the 2024–25 season, and this could be due in large part to his stiff shooting form. He also has a tendency to force shots outside the flow of the offense, which is likely another reason for his subpar shooting percentages. His free-throw percentage of 69.5% is also far below what coaches want their lead ball handler to be shooting from the line.

Offensively, while Demin possesses high-level vision and passing instincts, he can struggle to create his own shot due to a lack of explosiveness. His slow first step makes generating separation difficult, and he also tends to shy away from contact at the rim, limiting his ability to finish in traffic and draw fouls. Turnovers are another issue, as Demin often attempts high-risk passes under pressure. His turnover percentage was 22.8%, the worst among BYU players logging significant minutes.

On defense, Demin has the size and instincts to be effective, but his slender frame (6’9”, 190 lbs) and difficulty navigating screens occasionally lead to breakdowns, especially against more athletic, physical opponents.

What is likely most disturbing is that his performance tends to dip against elite competition, raising questions about his ability to consistently impact games at the highest level. In Big 12 conference play, Demin’s scoring efficiency declined, averaging just 9.8 points per game with a 22.6% three-point shooting percentage and 3.2 turnovers per game. However, under the bright lights of the NCAA tournament, Demin stepped up his game. Over three tournament games, he averaged 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game, demonstrating improved decision-making and scoring efficiency.

Final Thoughts

I think Egor Demin is a consistent jump-shot and weight program away from being a starter-caliber player in the NBA. He has two things that can’t be taught: size for his position and high-level, dare I say elite, instincts.

While he doesn’t have an elite handle by any means, size and footwork can make up for a lack in that department. Just look at the generational MVP candidate the Mavs just recently traded away; he doesn’t have one of the best handles in the league, but he does have elite footwork and great size for his position, and that seems to be working out well for him. I think the best version of Egor Demin is the one who learns how to do similar things with the ball, creating and getting by defenders using footwork and positioning.

As far as the Mavs are concerned, they are in desperate need of guards, specifically ones who can run an offense. Egor Demin has demonstrated at least the mental and instinctual capacity to do so, but his current limitations and inadequacies make me think that he’s more of a long-term investment than a short-term fix for a team lacking its all-star point guard. However, the long-term investment might be worthwhile in the future when Dallas’ current stars are over the hill. Demin is hitting his stride as a 6’9 playmaker, and that future may be closer than many realize if the Mavs decide to draft him.