Egor Demin shines in BYU's scrimmage debut, but how he fits in off the field might be just as impressive

PROVO — During his globe-trotting career in his native Russia or Spain with his Real Madrid teammates, Egor Demin has probably played in some larger environments, probably louder and probably quite hectic in the basketball-crazed cities of Europe.

But there is something about BYU, about the Roar of Cougars student chapter and about the city of Provo, he adds.

So on a night when he posted 12 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in the Cougars' annual Blue-White scrimmage (split into two separate halves with very different lineups) nearly four months after he signed with BYU, keep it up Looking at the crowd, he probably remembered how the presumptive 2025 NBA draft lottery pick ended up in the mountains of the Wasatch Front.

“To be honest, it doesn’t even come close to the places I’ve played,” Demin said candidly. “I've been to a lot of different gyms where it was so loud, with a lot of people, but here it's a different energy and a different atmosphere. It's just fun to be here. I can say for everyone that we really enjoyed being in this gym today.”

In his basketball career, the 1.80 meter tall newcomer from Moscow, Russia, played in 21 games for Real Madrid 2 in the 2023/24 Spanish EBA season, averaging 13.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4. 3 assists per game.

He averaged 16.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game while leading Madrid to their second consecutive Adidas Next Generation Tournament title earlier this year.

But he also never had the chance to be a college student, preparing for exams and midterms while simultaneously focusing on basketball — his ultimate major, whatever happens with his academic career — before a professional career.

So will he get every chance to experience BYU, enjoy Provo and experience what his first life experience in the United States has to offer while he's here? Yes, he will take it.

“People ask me about it and sometimes think I'm lying because I'm emotional about it,” he said. “But it’s true. I really enjoy life here with all my heart. I’m not just talking about the pitch and being with the team in the gym, but also outside.”

“I can’t complain about anything.”

A week after jumping into the student section and partying with the ROC at the Marriott Madness fan event, Demin put on another show against several of his own teammates.

He weaved smoothly through traffic and scored nine points and five assists in 16 first-half minutes as his Blue team defeated White 49-39.

He then switched jersey colors and still managed three points, four assists and four rebounds in 12 minutes as the White held off the Blue 32-20 in the second half.

His performance on the field is obvious, but what isn't obvious is how he fits into this new-look Cougars roster away from the Marriott Center Annex.

“He loves Provo. He told me a lot, 'I love this place,'” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “The community was great for him. I saw him at Madness with the audience and thought it was really cool. I sent it to his family and they loved seeing him just taking it all in and having fun with it.”

As for the similar traits of Demin, a 6-foot-2 guard who performs as both a playmaker and a scorer at the next level, and his unique game, Young caught himself before admitting how he genuinely feels.

He's not LeBron James, and the first-year BYU coach, who was the NBA's highest-paid assistant with the Phoenix Suns, wanted to make that clear. He doesn't compare the 39-year-old legend, worth $1.2 billion, to a current college freshman.

But …

“He makes a lot of similar passes to LeBron given his size,” he said. “I'm not saying he's LeBron – don't misquote me – but his ability to see the low man, see the roller, read the defense and play the gym at his size as a quarterback. … His passing game is something special.”

His teammates also praise him very much. When asked last week what Demin does best, BYU wing Trevin Knell promptly replied, “Everything.”

“He can really pass it, he can really shoot it and get to the hole,” he added. “His leadership level is also increasing enormously. And he sees the word in a very different way than many of us.”

Really high praise.

“That means a lot to me. I spend so much time with this guy at practice and outside,” Demin said of Knell. “So that means more than a lot of others. I love this guy, I love playing with him and spending time with him. The same goes for all the guys around me.”