There was a moment — one of many — in the Nets-Kings game that showed just what the new and improved Egor Demin can do. Mikel Brown Jr. wasn’t playing and for many fans, the contest was disappointing. There would be no faceoff between Brown Jr. and Darius Acuff, taken just after him in the June Draft.
But that gave Brown Jr.’s prospective backcourt mate, the 6’9.5” Russian, a chance to show his stuff against the 6’2.5” Acuff. The Kings scouting report may have indicated that Demin wasn’t likely to touch
the paint, being more comfortable with his 3-point shot. If so, the report was outdated. Demin blew past Acuff and went directly to the rim for the score.
It’s no wonder that was a surprise for Acuff, the Kings and yes, a lot of Nets fans. In last year’s abbreviated Summer League showing, Demin was 1-of-2 at the rim. In the Kings’ California Classic, he finished 11-of-12. The 20-year-old had reinvented himself once again. After the Nets surprised last season by taking him at No. 8 in the Draft, the rub on Demin was that he couldn’t shoot. Instead, he proved to be one of the best rookie 3-point shooters in league history, setting a record for most consecutive games with a three at 34 and becoming the second fastest player ever to 100 threes behind only Kon Knueppel.
Demin spoke about his doubters recently on a BYU centric blog … and that included Nets fans.
“Don’t worry about me, he told Washed Up. ”I’m not going to show you how I’m getting better. They probably all think I’m not doing anything but I might, you know, be better. I will be better next season.“
So far, so good, as Brian Lewis wrote this week in stories on both Demin and Brown Jr. Demin averaged 23.0 points per game in Sacramento, second only to Acuff’s 23.5 but with a much higher shooting percentage. Acuff shot 16-of-48 in two games while Demin hit on a much more efficient 15-of-27. All those shots at the rim can improve your percentages …. if you make them.
“Drives — a lot of drives, physicality,” Dëmin said of his offseason priority. “Obviously, I must keep working on my shot and defense, details like that.”
That was the physical side of his off-season so far. There’s also been a noticeable improvement in his mental approach to his second year in the NBA.
“I don’t want to say ‘pressure’ of being a leader, but kind of embracing the role of a guy who’s spent a year in the NBA already,” Dëmin said. “I want to take that role on myself. I want to be here and lead the team mentally, on the bench and on the court as well. I just tried to do what I’ve been working on all summer. I think that’s a great opportunity right now to get those habits in and get that working before the regular season.”
The change — and his instant chemistry with of the Nets five other 20-year-olds, Mikel Brown Jr., has gotten Nets fans excited. “Backcourt of the future” has a been a description tossed around. Brown Jr. feels it too.
“That’s my guy. We talked about … how we can play off each other and make each other better and make this team go,” Brown Jr. said. “That was the biggest thing for us is we’ve got to be the leaders to step up and lead this team to wins.
“So, to be able to show out and share the floor with him, you got to see what he can do. You could clearly see the growth from last year to now. He’s grown a lot just watching him. And my job is to make life easier on him.”
Nets fans while enthusiastic about the future are, not surprisingly, also a bit (but not much) skeptical. Demin after all, missed 32 games last year to plantar fasciitis, being shut down February 27 while Brown Jr didn’t play for Louisville after February 28. Both say no worries.
“I’m good now, and that’s all I’m worried about,” said Demin, “I’m doing good.”
After being shut down, Demin underwent a non-surgical procedure neither he nor the Nets would describe in any detail but he said it’s helped.
“Getting healthy and making sure I’m doing great with that,” he added. “And then the lifting room was probably the biggest priority, since I could do it anytime. I could do pretty much anything out there, gaining some weight, making sure I’m good with my nutrition and getting as much as I can do on the court, being dialed in with that.”
He’s put on the proverbial 12 to 15 pounds of muscle which is clearly evident to anyone who watched him last season. Same with his nascent mustache and goatee.
Jordi Fernandez noted all the changes, including the hair, on the Flatbush 5.
“Yeah, they all look older, and it’s not just the facial hair,” Fernández said of the class. “It’s also, you know, the amount of time they spent in the gym and how much stronger they are. The eye test, you will see it in Vegas when you will see [Dëmin] wearing our jersey.
“They look stronger, have done a great job. And not just strong where they don’t move the same way. It’s very [much] stronger and efficient. … Egor, Ben [Saraf], Nolan [Traoré], Drake [Powell], Danny [Wolf], all of them have done a very, very good job. And hard work pays off, and we’re going to see it in summer league.”
Next up will the Knicks on Friday evening in Las Vegas which will be available on YES as well as national outlets, the first of at least five games in the gaming capital. Demin may or may not play in all of them. He’s certainly proved he doesn’t need much more seasoning but he’s also said he wants to win the Summer League.
Fernandez noted what else he’s like to see, including a willingness to face up to bullying.
“I think that being on-balance and touching the paint and playing off two feet, you needed that strength. And he’s done an unbelievable job just working in the weight room. And right now you see him move around and he looks more like a grownup. He’s going to obviously do things way better than he did last year.”
However many minutes Demin and his new sidekick play together will be doing Nets fans a solid. They are ready.
- Egor Dëmin’s more muscular summer outing shows he understands his next Nets step – Brian Lewis – New York Post
- Mikel Brown offers a tantalizing Nets glimpse of what’s to come ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
